A Reluctant Return
by gigiree123
Summary: Hinata swore to not return to Konoha for several years after THAT incident. Fate forces her hand, and soon she finds herself having to face the very situation she had run away from. NaruHina, some NaruSaku...
1. Prologue

The water beat rhythmically against the large windows of the small coffee shop. It was filled to bursting with chatty occupants wanting a warm reprieve from the winter rainfall. Its cozy atmosphere was enhanced by the small round tables seating guests, and the varying stacks of books towards the back. Near one of these stacks sat an unusually quiet customer.

Her head was rested upon one hand, turned towards the window. She gazed out at the slate gray sky; its color nearly matching the shade of her downcast lilac eyes. She absently fidgeted with a strand of her long inky hair as she stared, her eyes never moving or shifting in the slightest. The steaming mug of imported Hibiscus tea was completely forgotten in her reverie. She was lost to the world; lost in a flurry of emotion and turmoil as erratic as the rain.

_It was pouring then, her white umbrella lay soiled in a puddle, bent and broken, just like her at that moment. Her fingers trembled at the icy chill of the water, her hair stuck uncomfortably close to her face as she looked at him, eyes wide in disbelief._

"_W-What do you mean?" she queried softly._

"_I can't do this to you. I can't lead you on, when I might still lo-" _

"_Don't!"_

_It was his turn to stare in disbelief. His damp blonde hair, no longer in its usual unruly style framed his widened stone blue eyes. His mouth gaped in mid speech, as he tentatively reached for her. What could he say? What would she say? _

"_Hinata…"_

"Hinata-chan?"

She was abruptly pulled from her thoughts as she turned to the source of her name. A kind faced, auburn haired waitress was looking at her with concern. She knew Hinata well enough by now to use the familiar honorific. The few years older server thought of the quiet regular customer as a sort of younger sister, and so seeing her be so melancholy was upsetting.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Her green eyes tightened in genuine concern.

"I'm fine Narumi-san!" She chirped cheerily, hoping that it would be enough to allay her worries. Her mouth widened to an almost too-big smile that did not reach her eyes. She internally winced at the over the top display.

"Are you sure? I mean you looked like you were remember-"

"Oh no! I just thought the rain was so pretty! I mean we rarely ever have rain here in the capital and I'm just glad for it, you know. Because it's usually very hot and umm…" She finished by waving her hands vaguely, hoping to have diverted the attention off of the tender subject.

"Okaay…Well, then finish your tea so I can refill it. It's getting cold." Narumi stated firmly, not quite believing the babbling girl. She gently patted her hand in reassurance, and returned to the front of the coffee shop to deal with the large influx of customers.

Hinata resumed gazing at the rain, this time really enjoying the _rap-tap-tap_ of the droplets on the roof. She knew these past few days of rain were an unusual gift in the Land of Fire, especially here in the Capital, where she had been staying for two months. The elegant high rises and bustling city life had enthralled her small-town senses, involving her in a whirlwind of activities and political intrigue. So different from the usual gritty ninja work, her role as a Konoha emissary had allowed her the freedom to experience new lands and allies.

'_Konoha…I haven't been there in five years.' _

She quietly sighed. She wouldn't go back; not at least for another several years. She had promised herself that. Lightly grasping her white mug, she brought it to her lips. The flowery scent of the Hibiscus calmed her, comforted her, and cradled her in a bittersweet sense of familiarity and nostalgia.

'_Kurenai-sensei used to make this for me.'_

"I wish, just once, that I could see everyone again." She murmured aloud, knowing the futility and the dangerousness of her wish. If she returned, it would be disastrous for her emotional stability. So no, she would not go back. Not if she could help it, Fate be damned!

"Hyuuga Hinata of Konohagakure?"

She abruptly turned her head to her name being called yet again, this time by a masked man in a gray cloak and strange clay mask in the shape of a hawk. His dark hair peeked out from under his hood.

"Y-Yes?"

"The Hokage summons you to Konoha for reasons of the utmost importance."

She gulped and softly nodded once, showing her acquiescence. It seemed Fate didn't like being damned in the first place.


	2. The Journey Home

Disclaimer: I do not in any way, shape or form own the Naruto franchise. If I did, Naruto and Hinata would have been married and have had approximately several dozen children by now. Constructive criticism and reviews are critical to improving my writing, so please do so.

**The Journey Home**

The Hawk ANBU had given Hinata one more night and morning to pack and prepare for the journey. He informed her that the Daimyo and other political contacts had been notified of her departure. All she had to do now was pack and say farewell to the few friends she had made in the two months she had stayed here.

As soon as he had left the café, she had gulped down her lukewarm tea, grabbed her coat, gave one last thank you and bear hug to Narumi-san, and rushed to her tiny flat. Two streets from the corner coffee house was her small apartment complex. It was a plain white, five-story building with a few pink flowers at the gate. Nothing special really, but she had come to like living there.

"Let's see, I have my clothes, keys and I've already paid two months' rent in advance..."

She didn't plan on staying long in Konoha; two months at the most and she would come back her. '_I'll use my rent as an excuse to come back.'_ She mused as she efficiently packed her sparse belongings and toiletries into a large camping backpack.

Several of her new ninja attire had been packed, including an assortment of tight long sleeved dark shirts and black athletic tights. All were extremely comfortable, warm, and practical. Due to the odd weather she often encountered in her travels, she was always prepared.

She quickly stuffed her trusty, sturdy anorak jacket into the bag as well. Though travel proof, it was also stylish with its military green hue and faux fur lining on the hood.

'_What else do I need?_' She looked inside her closet wistfully, slightly regretting that she could not take her pencil skirts and white blouses with her. In her political business, she had grown accustomed to wearing professional clothing and had even liked the streamlined look it had given her. Thankfully, her active attire had been kept in supply due to her constant training.

"At least my physical skills have sharpened too. I wonder if everyone else has gotten stronger."

'_Has He changed?' _

She shook her head of the unnecessary thought, and stowed her bag near the edge of her twin bed. Tapping her chin, she remembered to place her close-toed ninja boots near the bag. Lastly, she gently retrieved her Leaf headband from her nightstand drawer. She hadn't worn it since she had arrived to the Capital from the Land Of Tea.

"Well, that's that. Tomorrow, Fate's gonna kick my ass, right Neji-nii-san?"

She chuckled a bit sadly at the reminder of her deceased cousin. He may have decided that everyone made their own destiny, but after leaving Konoha, she had started to believe the opposite. Taking some comfort in the fact that she would be able to see her precious people again, and worrying at their reaction to her lack of contact for the past years, she fell into a fitful sleep.

"_Oi HINAATAAA!"_

_The girl in question turned on her heel to find the source of her name, knowing who it was simply by the tone and manner of voice. The cinnamon rolls in the box she currently held were being squished beyond recognition at the sound of that voice. She was nervous. _

_She shyly gazed up at the approaching blonde. It had been only a year since the Fourth Shinobi War, and he had grown at least several inches since then. (She now only reached his chin.)_

"_Hello Naruto-kun." She said gracefully, giving him a bright smile._

_In that one moment, with the Konoha sun shining on her face, the genuine smile and her indigo hair following her every movement, Naruto was struck dumb. He could feel the beginnings of a blush on his heated face. This wasn't normal! She was supposed to be the one blushing, not him. He brushed it off, as only the Naruto Uzumaki could do._

"_E-Erm…uhh…ointment…"_

"_Sorry, but what d-did you say?" She asked tentatively, straining to hear past his mumbles._

"_OINTMENT!" _

_She jumped at his shout. Up went the box of cinnamon rolls, raining its contents on the two in the middle of the bustling street. Passerby stared at the odd duo, some curious and most others chuckling about young romance. _

"_I-I'm so sorry Naruto-kun!" She ducked her head, blushing in intense embarrassment._

_Hinata glanced up at Naruto, horrified. His usually upright blonde hair was pasted to his head by icing and random pieces of cinnamon goodness caught in between. His eyes were wide in disbelief, and his face completely covered in oozing sweetness. Even his beautiful orange cloak was covered in icing, its woven black flames seemingly doused by the mess. She searched her Chunin vest pockets frantically. _

"_Ahah! F-Found some n-napkins!" _

_Unconsciously, she reached towards him, hoping to at least clean up some of the spill. He stiffened as she made contact with his whiskered cheek, gently wiping away the remains of her dessert. Blood again rushed to his face, and to his..erm…lower regions._

"_Eh Hinata, it's alright!" He laughed boisterously, attempting to hide his discomfort. "Look you have some on ya too." _

_He quickly divested Hinata of her napkin supply, and began wiping her face somewhat hesitantly. She could do nothing but stand in utter disbelief, as he gently wiped her face. His face scrunched in concentration, focusing utterly on the task of cleaning the mess. Naruto for his part could only focus on the spots of icing. It was all he could do to distract him from…other things. (He shifted again, in discomfort.)_

"_Done." He stated firmly after several minutes of silence._

"_U-Umm Naruto-kun, what did you mean b-by ointment?"_

_He suddenly remembered his original purpose for finding her. Embarrassed, he rubbed the back of his head, only to cover his hand in more stickiness. He quickly pulled it out, and discreetly wiped it on his jacket. _

"_Ah…I came to thank you for the ointment you gave me the other day. It really did help heal that wound faster."_

_."It was no p-problem! I'm glad it helped." She blushed, as per usual then gave him her brightest smile yet. He shifted his glance to the left, unable to stare at the brightness for too long. _

"_Well, I wanna thank you. For everything you've done…so, uhh I'm going to treat you to Ichiraku Ramen tonight!"_

"_Oh no-no! You don't have to!" She protested, vehemently shaking her head._

"_I don't go back on my word, you know that. So tonight at 6:30, I'll meet you there." He gave her a foxy grin, a thumbs up and walked away, leaving a fumbling, blushing Hinata to ponder what it all meant._

The rain pattered ceaselessly as the duo made their way through the dense brush, leaping in rhythm. Hinata was miserable to say the least. She had grown somewhat soft in the luxury provided by living in a large city. Right now, she missed her soft, small bed and her warm mugs of tea. Right now, she did not like the rain, nor did she like the thorns and thistles attempting to tear her clothes to shreds. Right now, she really did not like the Hawk ANBU.

That was surprising. She was usually so good at liking people.

"Hurry up, Hyuuga," came the cold and terse voice. It sounded vaguely familiar, but she had long ago stopped trying to figure out whom it was. It was imperative that ANBU remain unidentified, and so she honored that rule.

"With all due respect Hawk-san, it usually takes at least two days to reach Konoha from the Capital." She gritted out in a steely voice. The cold, wet environment did nothing to ease her annoyance. She angrily tightened the cords on her jacket, welcoming the warmth of the fur on the hood.

"...We'll make camp now." He said quietly.

Hawk-san was not the type of person to be easily surprised. So when the usually shy and quiet Hyuuga had responded in such a cold voice, he had nearly slipped off the branch he was on.

'_She's changed. This should be interesting.' _

He gave his signature smirk under his mask; amused by effect the Hyuuga's return would have on the knucklehead, future Hokage he called his best friend. Hawk-san stared on as the little Hyuuga princess expertly set up her small tent and ingeniously set up a small fire, sheltering it from the rain with an intricate structure of branches.

She was now holding some fish she had caught over the fire. The ANBU was hungry and felt his mouth water as the smell of natural forest seasonings wafted towards him. He could not be so weak though. He had all but told her that they were not to be 'travel buddies' and that they would not be sharing supplies. His job was to only escort her home and he had no need for he friendship. _'She didn't take that too well…judging by her mood.'_

He discretely tightened his grip on his cloak. ANBU could not afford to lug around tents or large amounts of supplies. So his cloak and the tree branch he was currently in were going to be his shelter for the night. The soldier pill he had taken prior to leaving the capitol would serve as his meal for the evening.

"Sasuke-san."

He again nearly fell out of his branch in disbelief. '_How did she find out?' _He leapt down to the girl by the fire, intrigued. She turned towards him with a blank look on her face. He waited.

"Would you like some?"

He could only gape behind his mask at the offered stick of fish she was holding out to him. All he could do was grudgingly accept with murmured thanks. He plopped himself on the overturned log next to her and began to methodically devour the delicately seasoned trout. He glanced over at the other fish she was grilling. He was again shocked. She had given him the larger of the two. _'What is she trying to pull here?'_

"I'm sorry," came her quiet reply to his silent question. "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that."

"Hn."

She looked at him, long enough to make even him uncomfortable through his mask. '_Her eyes can see through me.'_

"Truce?" she broke into a small smile, completely altering her visage into something altogether…_too bright_. He ignored the slight racing of his heart or the slowly growing smirk under his mask.

"Hn."

A/N: I'm going to try to do regular updates so long as people keep reviewing. I will warn you there will be slight Sasuhina hints throughout the story, just to add conflict. After all, why should Naruto have all the fun?


	3. And the Rain Keeps Falling

**And the Rain keeps Falling**

Naruto was tired and weary. His eyes ached with the constant parade of papers passing before him. The pounding rain did not help his mood. It made the usually hyperactive young man want to go back to his two-bedroom flat and drink a warm mug of Hibiscus tea. Yet here he was, seven hours later, drinking coffee instead of tea, and he was not even half way done. There was the Hokage evaluations of the Leaf jounin to be written, not to mention the growing stack of D-rank missions or the new Genin team assignments. (There were 36 new Genin candidates, the largest graduating class seen since who knows when.)

"Good training, she said. It'll help you be a good successor, she said." He mumbled angrily as he stamped approvals, painstakingly looked at each Jonin file, and wrote what he thought were accurate summaries of their strengths and weaknesses from the past year.

They were arranged from oldest to newest jounin with each year's academy graduates grouped together. Within each year, the jounin were ordered alphabetically. Naruto was finally approaching the latter half of the personal files; The Konoha 13.

"Let me see. This is Aburame, Shino. "A large Cheshire-grin split his face as he wondered at the delicious secrets that this file could hold. What embarrassing things could he hold over his taciturn friend?

"…blah, blah…uhh…GAAAH!?"

He quickly shut the manila folder closed; rubbing his eyes to erase the memory of what he had just read. Some things were simply meant to remain a secret. Quickly, he penned a positive report on Shino's proven tactical skills and vastly improved taijutsu. (He had experienced this first hand.) Then he placed the file on the completed stack to his left. He continued this process, grinning at his comrades' accomplishments and strengths.

"Haruno, Sakura." He read out loud, looking wistfully at the picture of his teammate.

She was very pretty, to say the least. Her face looked at the viewer full on, her small smile exuding a confidence and joy in her own being that so many found attractive. Her soft cotton candy hair fell in tufted tendrils, framing her face and large forehead boldly. She was shining with an outer radiance so delightful that it had caught Naruto's attention at a young age. But now he found himself admiring her for her skill and her character, fearing her violent corrections, yet fondly caring for her, due to their experiences together.

However, it was a different kunoichi who now flitted in between his thoughts, at inadvertent times.

Once finished with Sakura's evaluation, he hesitated moving her file, knowing as to whose was next. His heart thudded as he prepared himself to see the image of someone he hadn't even looked at a picture of for the past five years. _'Is she still the same?'_

An image of a broken, white umbrella in a soiled puddle flashed in his thoughts. He gripped his head, knowing it would do him no good to bring back those emotions. Quickly, he placed Sakura's file on the completed stack, and hurriedly leafed through the folder under it, finding the evaluation space. He quickly wrote _'Report pending', _not even glancing once at the name nor the picture. Fate it seemed had its own plans as a bird suddenly hit one of the large windows of the Hokage tower. It startled him so much, he knocked over the stack of files, flipping open Hyuuga, Hinata's folder to her ID picture from just before she left.

His gaze was drawn irresistibly towards the pale face. Its porcelain façade was bereft of any blemishes or color. Her large, lavender eyes gazed out, shining with so many secrets and burdens. She looked so tired and weary, dark circles forming under her eyes. She seemed so melancholy and she looked so..._trapped._

Unknowingly, his calloused fingers gently caressed the figure, marveling at how young she looked with the short bobbed hairstyle. She had gotten it cut just weeks before her departure.

"_I w-wanted to start over." She smiled a bit hesitantly, her eyes pleading for him to understand, though at the moment, he just couldn't. He diverted his gaze towards the blue sky, hoping she might drop the subject._

_She shifted nervously; one arm crossed her chest and held her other arm in a gesture of insecurity. She lowered her gaze, hiding pearlescent eyes behind heavy indigo bangs. Her side tails had remained to gently curl around her small face and delicate features, but her shoulder length hair was gone. Instead there remained feathered strands, which were somewhat reminiscent of her hair from her genin days._

"_It-It looks…cute, Hinata." _

_Somehow that didn't seem to be the right thing to say as her face fell slightly, only for her to cover it up with a forced giggle. Naruto didn't want to push the subject further, so he decided not to comment. They walked in awkward silence for several minutes before…_

"_I guess short hair looks better on Sakura, huh?" she whispered quietly, so quiet, he almost hadn't heard her question. She fidgeted with the hem of her green Chunin vest. _

_He almost couldn't believe it. Kind and shy Hinata had said something so…so…jealous and so full of envy. His eyes darkened in annoyance, and he walked ahead of the girl, oblivious to the silent sounds of her breaking inside. _

But then again, he had been oblivious to many things prior to Hinata's departure. Things he wished he could have noticed. His attention was again caught by the sounds of something tip-tapping the window; something that was definitely not the rain.

It was the same bird from before. A large, pale gray albatross with a black as night glower observed the astounded male. It was completely unfazed by the rough winds and torrents of rain buffeting its feathers. It had stopped its incessant tapping as soon as Naruto had come to the window, somehow knowing it had reached the right place.

He quickly opened the latch, pushing the glass outwards. The albatross side stepped and hopped around the pane, making its way inside the office. It quirked its head at its strangely quiet host, almost inquiring as to what it should do next.

"What? Are you a messenger bird or something?" Naruto queried, chuckling.

The albatross affectionately tugged at the long sleeve of his dark shirt, grabbing his attention. It then lifted one of its bright orange legs, showing the hidden scroll tied by a pearl-colored ribbon. On the outside of the scroll was written _'To the Hokage' _in a delicate, widely looping scrawl. Very feminine writing, he noted absently.

He gingerly freed the message so as not to jostle the oddly friendly bird. It was patiently standing stock still, trying to make it simpler for him.

"Got it!" He shouted triumphantly, and grinned at the bird. It slowly blinked up at him, then nuzzled its head against his arm. He softly patted the white feathers on its head.

"It's raining really hard outside, it's probably better if you stay in here for the night."

Holding out his arm, the albatross gleefully stepped up onto Naruto's nest of hair. He sighed and slowly walked towards his bag. Pulling out a spare orange jacket, he carefully arranged a sort of bed for the bird atop a small filing cabinet. The albatross fluttered down, its large wings nearly beating Naruto's head to oblivion. Finally it was settled in its makeshift nest, and had fallen asleep in moments.

Naruto resumed examining the outside of the scroll near his desk, wondering if he should open it. He was the Hokage successor after all…

"Granny Tsunade isn't here today, and I am acting Hokage when she's not, so…"

Throwing caution to the wind, he delicately unwound the silky ribbon, and carefully placed it on the desk. A pleasantly familiar cinnamon and vanilla scent floated from it as he untied it. His heart raced in anticipation.' _It smells like her.'_ He tentatively unfurled the tightly wound paper, bit by bit…finally it was-

He was unfortunately interrupted by a series of loud bangs on the door.

The loud raps had made him drop the scroll and knock over his cold coffee, smudging any discernible text that may have existed previously. His albatross friend was wide awake and beating its wings nervously. He quickly and somewhat angrily opened the door.

"What is it?" he growled at the visitor. His scowl deepened as he saw a vaguely pineapple shaped head and a tall slim form wearing the standard Chunin vest. It was only Shikamaru, the appointed future Hokage assistant and tactician. "What do you want?"

Shikamaru quirked an eyebrow at the flustered Naruto, wondering what could have caused him to be so uncollected at the moment. This was not the post war Naruto that many had come to know. The post-war Naruto was still kind, with a certain hardness in his eyes that hadn't been there before.

The post-war Naruto was confident, never faltering and was a known ladies' man. (Actually that may have been post Hinata, but who was really paying attention.) The point was that Naruto was not the same boisterous Naruto he had been years ago. And so, Shikamaru was both confused and pleasantly surprised to see this unguarded side of his friend.

"I'm just here to tell Tsunade-sama that our global ambassador's coming back from their mission."

"Oh."

"Troublesome…What's with the bird?"

Shikamaru didn't even have time to blink before the door was slammed in his face. _'That was her summon animal.' _He mused, silently chuckling at the irony of it all.

Smirking, he headed down the hall to look for Tsunade.

Back inside, Naruto scrutinized the smudged mess that was once a letter. Regretfully, he wiped down the coffee and disposed of the wet scroll. He stopped completely when he saw the discarded ribbon. Enjoying the soothing scent, he picked up the silky material and went back to the jounin files, unknowingly placing it next to the very file he had wanted to ignore.

The heavy rain continued to fall and the albatross calmly scrutinized its franticly working host.

A/N: Hahahaha! I guess we all know who the scroll is from, but Naruto doesn't! Hahaha! Sorry if this chapter was kind of slow or not up to par. But then again, let me know what you think! Please review.


	4. Remembrance

**Remembrance**

"-and then the Daimyo of the Land of Tea thanked our small group of allies and promised each a lifetime of our favorite teas! And that's how I received this rare tin of their rare and famous Moon Madness Hibiscus flavor!"

Hinata finished her exciting tale of the Lunar Harbor Tea Party with a large, glowing smile. Exhausted from the early morning journey, she and Hawk-san had decided to walk along the forest trail for a few hours to rest. She marveled at the denseness of the multicolored fall hues of gold and brown and red, all made brighter with the contrast of the gray sky.

"Hn."

She amusedly leaned forward and glanced over at her quiet and moody companion, her lengthy hair brushing her hips as she did so. She widened her stride to catch up to the cloaked traveler, grateful for the loose comfort of her thermal, navy long sleeve. She shifted the straps of her backpack, and glanced at him.

"Do you think Alba-chan has reached the Hokage yet?" She asked regarding her summoned albatross and its message.

"…"

"It's stopped raining for a bit, isn't that nice?" She gleefully pointed out, knowing that her grumpy companion was reaching his breaking point. _'Almost there….'_

"Sasuke-san?"

"Dammit Hyuuga! Don't you ever shut up?! That damn story of yours took about an hour and a half to finish. We're walking across soggy ground because you wanted to enjoy the scenery, and we're not even halfway done!"

"Finally!" She chirped excitedly at his outburst. She finally got him to say more than two words. The little challenge she had set for herself at the beginning of their journey had been completed.

"I got you to say more than Hn!"

"Just shutup." He tersely told her, embarrassed to have fallen for so simple a trap.

"No" came her unexpected and firm reply.

Her expression became more thoughtful, her gaze drifting away to lands and a past unknown. She slowed down her pace, clasping her hands together in front of her. Her eyes became half shaded with thought, prompting him to ask…

"Why?"

"Because all my life, I have shut up, Sasuke-san." She languidly slid a wry look in his direction.

"And I won't do it anymore."

With that, her smile reappeared on her face, a bounce coming to her step once more. She hopped from puddle to puddle, uncaring of her clothes becoming wet and enjoying the sense of adventure that came with traveling like this. She felt free, just as free as she had felt when she had first left Konoha as its global ambassador.

Sasuke watched incredulously at the display, wondering if she had some undiagnosed mental problems. Then again, he had been temporarily insane, so he couldn't judge. His attention was caught when she slipped and fell up to her knees in a particularly dingy puddle. She gave him a quick chuckle and continued on her way, this time slightly more apprehensive of the water in her path.

How could she be a ninja, she was too…_bright. _And yet, the more he looked, the more he saw the Hyuuga grace and poise, engraved into her every step and every movement. So rhythmic and light on her feet, it almost seemed like she went through life by dancing. Her dark hair of varying layers played along with her, rippling with every small swing of her hips, displaying its hidden indigo hues.

Unconsciously, he slowed down his own stride, almost matching her lyrical rhythm.

"_Have you ever danced Hinata?" He blurted out, wondering where that had come from._

_She blushed, wondering if he had connected two and two; if he had found out she had been the waterfall girl all those years ago. "W-Why, Naruto-kun?"_

"_It's just, I was wondering. I mean, I saw Sakura the other day at the party, and it just looked like fun…"_

"_Oh."_

"_I mean, not that it matters! I just wanted to know what you do for fun, kinda…"Naruto trailed off, unsure of where he stood at the moment with the sensitive Hyuuga. _

"_Well, I'd like to learn." She said quietly, her eyes downcast as they walked past the brightly lit street vendors. Her hair was too short to hide her discomfort. She was almost regretting the hair cut._

"_Maybe…we can go together someday?" He asked tentatively, hoping to amend the situation with his not-girlfriend friend._

"_I'd like that, maybe someday." She quietly agreed, knowing it was an empty promise. But still, it was nice to dream._

"Naruto…" She quietly sighed, remembering. It had taken several years, but she had learned how to address him as simply Naruto, not allowing herself to use the familiar suffix. It had taken six months after leaving before she could even think his name again. It had taken a full year before she could have conversations about him without flinching. It had taken a full three years to reach where she was now. Somewhat wistful of the past, she was content with her place in this world and relished the liberty of being a traveler. _'I think I understand Jiraiya-san a bit better now.'_

"Not that I'm a huge pervert or anything." She blushed deeply, almost stopping in her tracks, as she remembered the one passage she had managed to skim from his first Icha Icha book. At the tender age of nineteen, she had lost her mental innocence because of a stupid bet made in Sunagakure.

"Damn Kankuro and his dirty mind." She muttered, smiling slightly at the remembrance of her friends in the desert country.

_It had been five months since she had departed from Konoha. One month since she had arrived at Suna for the yearly meeting of delegates. Shikamaru was the official ambassador for Konoha here in Suna; and he was here far more often than she was. But at the moment, he was indisposed due to a current mission in the Old Sound Village, so she was sent here instead._

_So here she sat, at 2 am in the morning, underneath a brilliantly starry desert sky, crying her eyes out. She was slightly homesick at this point, missing even Hanabi, her snobby little sister. She even missed the freakin' tree outside her bedroom window. (She had named him Tree when she was about six.)_

_So intent was she in her pity party that she failed to notice the light steps on the roof of her complementary house in Suna. She failed to notice the soft tendrils of sand, encasing her hands, almost as if curious._

"_Kazekage-sama?" She turned, incredulous as to his presence here. _

"_Hyuuga-san." He acknowledged her with a nod. His glance followed the trail of a falling tear._

_Embarassed, she quickly wiped it way, and sniffed imperiously. "How may I help you tonight, Kazekage-sama?"_

"_Why do you cry?"_

"_No offense, Kazekage-sama, but w-why would you care?"_

"_I don't."_

"_Oh." She stated simply, wondering at the oddity of the situation. _

"_But in the interest of being a good host to Konoha's delegate, would it help to speak about it?"_

"_Huh?" She was confused. Where was this coming from? The usually curt Kage was very talkative tonight._

"_Temari always says it's better to talk about things."_

"_Oh."_

"_It's Naruto, isn't it?" He gently asked. He had overheard her sobbing his name repeatedly, and had remembered her bold speech during the war. This was the girl who had stood by his friend's side; the girl who saved Naruto from himself. So why was she here alone?_

_And with a nod of her head, her face scrunched up in pain, and her faint keening and sobbing resumed. He awkwardly patted her shoulder, wishing Temari were here._

"_You can talk."_

_And so she told her story, what had happened, the incident, and everything she ever was. Finally, with the star spangled desert sky and the most attentive listener she could have asked for, Hinata Hyuuga made the first step to becoming who she wanted to be._

Sasuke quietly watched his traveling companion as she again lost herself in her mind. She was a strange one; polite and talkative with a hidden backbone of steel that had not been there when she had lived in Konoha. She was, for lack of a better word, whimsical, yet there was something very intriguing about her. He of course knew about Naruto's lingering fondness for the shy girl who had left, but he wondered, what his friend would think about this girl with her feet on the ground and her head in the clouds.

'_Who exactly is Hinata Hyuuga?'_


	5. Underneath the Underneath

**Underneath the Underneath**

The odd duo was only ten miles from the gates of Konoha when they hit a little snag in their travels. A shadowy figure slowly made its way from the cover of the dense foliage, menacingly standing in the middle of the worn trail.

"Leaf ninja…Oh how fun!" coughed the tan skinned, red head as he pulled out a very, very large scythe. His attempted bravado could do nothing to disguise his surprise. Apparently he had not been expecting Ninja, as they usually did not take the main road. He had no headband to mark him, no emblem to identify him. He was wrapped in a grey work kimono, its fringes frayed and brown.

"G-Give me your riches, you bastard, or I'll kill your pretty girlfriend over there."

Sasuke smirked at the nervous attacker. The poor soul would have no chance against an ANBU Uchiha and a Hyuuga together. In a millisecond, he was behind the man, holding a kunai tightly to his slim neck, pressing till a bead of blood ran down into his gray shozoku. Sharingan blazing red as the devil, he stared down the hapless thief. He could hear his heart beat racing, increasing rapidly in tempo.

"You were saying?"

"D-Don't kill me please, I'm begging you! I didn't know you were The Last Uchiha."

Sasuke grimaced at the nickname the general populace had dubbed him. It stung slightly, serving to make him more angry than annoyed at the moment. His grip on the kunai tightened ever so slightly, his Sharingan turning madder red, and the tomoe spinning faster.

"Sasuke-san stop!"

He glanced back at his companion, rolling his eyes at her unnecessary empathy for the man. He was just going to scare him a bit. His eyes widened, however, when he noticed another figure approaching her from behind. Eight feet, five feet, three feet…how could she not sense him? Wait a minute…her Byakugan was not activated.

"Hyuuga, turn around!"

She rapidly did so, slightly before Sasuke's warning, managing to barely dodge a swing of a farm hoe belonging to a pale, blue haired youth.

"No, Sanji, don't!" Warned the red haired captive.

He was too late. Hinata had already prepared her chakra, blue energy crackling at her fingertips, controlled and full of wild potential at the same time. She lightly spun on the heel of her foot, gracefully arching her back to bring herself closer to her target. Her indigo tresses fanned out behind in tandem with her dance.

_2…4…8 Partial trigrams!_

In less than thirty seconds, her would be assailant crumpled down, his 'weapon' clanging to the stone, broken in half by the force of the fall.

Hinata approached Sasuke's captive, her face blank, her chakra humming erratically, waiting to be released. She truly looked like a kunoichi in that moment. The red haired man closed his eyes, as he felt the Uchiha release him and saw the Hyuuga coming closer.

He felt the slight sting of electricity, then…a sudden soothing sensation, almost as if cool water had been poured over his neck. He looked up. Hinata was concentrating on his injury, her brow furrowed with effort. The cut swiftly closed under her rudimentary medical techniques, and his eyes widened till their whites could be seen all the way around.

"W-Why?"

She softly smiled, her lilac eyes gentle, and nodded towards the large scythe and the broken hoe. "As menacing as it looks, a scythe is hardly a good weapon to use. It's unwieldy, and much too weighty to have an efficient killing streak."

He remained silent, wondering where she was going with this conversation.

"You both are farmers aren't you? You're tools and the way you gripped them tell me that. Your clothes are worn and dirty at the bottom fringes, suggesting field work, and you smell of rice paddies."

He sadly nodded, ashamed. "O-Our families, they're hungry, and the crops-"

"Stop."

She blankly stared at the prone man, middle aged, with wrinkles and sunspots; he was hardly in any shape to attack any capable ninja. She carefully removed her bag from behind her, and pulled out the wad of cash she had left from the journey.

"Here." She smiled gently, and Sasuke could only stare in disbelief behind his mask. "Your friend will be fine. He's only sleeping now."

The man remained seated for several moments, shocked beyond belief. It was only after the ninja had traveled several yards down the road that he sobbingly shouted. "Thank you! Thank you!"

They passed the last few miles of their journey in a tense silence, one wishing to return home as soon as possible, the other relishing the last bits of freedom she had.

* * *

"_W-where are we g-going Naruto-kun?" she stuttered as the enthusiastic boy pulled her along towards the edge of the village, where the hills grew steeper and the forest thicker. Her long tresses kept getting caught in branches and twigs. By the end of this, she would look like a fright._

"_Come on!" He kept a tight hold on her hand, unknowingly smudging them with wet green paint._

_They eventually slowed down, reaching a downtrodden field with the sun shining on a ramshackle two story house in the center. Wooden boards tacked on in random areas made it seem as if the house was one storm away from being blown over. In contrast, its mint green paint was smooth, looking as new as any of the other buildings in the rebuilt Konoha. _

"_W-what is this p-place?" She quietly asked, unspoken was her concern over Naruto's sanity._

"_Just look." _

_And then small heads slowly peeked from the dusty windows, curious as to who their visitors were. Naruto stood waiting and welcoming in his orange robe, the black flames floating invitingly. The children broke into matching grins and about a dozen poured from the sturdy front door, shouting in excitement._

"_Naruto!"_

"_It's Naru-onii-chan!"_

"_He's back!"_

_As children of varying sizes and colors surrounded the duo, Hinata began to understand, and felt slightly ashamed at her previous assumptions. She gave a brilliant smile to the young man next to her, marveling at his never ceasing wonders. 'So this is where he was the whole day.'_

"_See, Hinata, you have to look underneath the underneath!" He grinned cheekily, giving a thumbs up. "Right guys?"_

"_Right!" They chorused back. And promptly began a game of ANBU vs Rogue Ninja. Hinata laughed as a child ANBU, in a makeshift paper mask 'captured' her with paper shuriken and wooden kunai. Small hands and fingers tugged at their clothes, asking gently and playfully for attention. And Hinata was all too glad to give it._

"_Naru-onii-san," called a sweet little pig-tailed girl," Is that your girlfriend? She's really pretty."_

_Both Naruto and Hinata froze in embarrassment, both sputtering denials and blushing red. The children laughed and resumed their antics. They organized varying games and Hinata taught the girls flower arrangements with the wild flora. By the end of the day, all were tired out and their matronly caretaker called to them for supper._

"_You two are of course invited," she smiled, tilting her dark head in welcome at the two youngsters._

_They politely declined, stating that they had to wake up early, but that they would certainly visit again. And with shared grins, and waves to the children of the Konoha orphanage, they made their way back home._

_Hinata discretely glanced up at Naruto. Silently laughing at the twigs and leaves stuck in is hair, as well as the occasional paper shuriken. His remaining joy at the events of the day had left a small, permanent grin on his face. It was infectious. 'He would make a wonderful father.' _

_She blushed, matching the setting sun, not knowing that Naruto was thinking things along the same lines about her as well._

_She was startled from her reverie when Naruto suddenly turned to her. "Thanks, Hinata."_

"_You're welcome Naruto-kun."_

_The would-be couple walked the remaining distance in a comfortable quiet, both unconsciously relishing in the occasional brush of hands, and silently wishing that they could do more._

* * *

"What were you thinking Hyuuga? You could've gotten yourself killed." Sasuke bit out, his teeth gritted in exasperation. He tightened his grip on his cloak, wanting to shake common sense into the strange woman.

She smirked back at him, eyes twinkling.

"You have to look underneath the underneath Sasuke-san!" And with that, she began the final sprint towards Konoha, leaving a thoughtful Hawk-san in her wake.

* * *

Tsunade sat again at her desk, congratulating herself on using Naruto's Hokage Training as a way to finish most of the paperwork. She gleefully poured herself another cup of clear Land of Iron Sake. She glanced out the windows, noting the gently rising sun and the shadows running across her beloved Konoha. It had stopped raining. A beatific look crossed her face, and then it was quickly covered by a frown of concentration. _'Is it too early? Can I…?"_

"Ah to Hell with it!" She shouted, and downed the drink straight from its bottle. She took her time, rolling the beverage around in her mouth to savor the clear and wonderfully bitter taste of it. Sometimes it was the small things in life that could really make a difference.

A light knock disturbed her temporary celebration, and she narrowed her hazel eyes in annoyance. She was peeved. The unlucky visitor had just incurred the wrath of the Godaime Hokage and the poor sucker didn't even know it. She firmly set down the porcelain bottle on her desk.

"Come in."

"Tsunade-sama," greeted a slim kunoichi with kind, but firm eyes and chestnut hair bound into two buns atop her head. Her cream colored Chinese style blouse interestingly paired maroon bottoms complemented her nicely.

Tsunade felt her initial aggravation melt away at the respectful greeting. This was one of her kunoichi. One of 'her girls' whom she loved like her own. The wonderful assortment of girlish characters she was lucky to have cared for contained as many flower variations as the Yamanaka flower shop.

Here now stood the Blue Bell (1). _'For constancy. And she has remained so, despite everything.' _

"Tenten, how can I help you?"

"She was supposed to be here by last night." Tenten's brows knit in worry for her little Hyuuga friend. "She sent a letter by Alba-chan about a day ago; he had two messages, one for me and the other was addressed to you."

Tsunade's posture straightened in her confusion. "I never received any message. I was…"

She remembered having to attend a brief Kage summit the other day, leaving Naruto and Kakashi as co-acting Hokage in her absence. _'Naruto probably saw the message. So he knows now?'_

"Dammit."

Tenten raised her eyebrows in surprise, the Hokage rarely cursed in front of her kunoichi. "What is it Tsunade-sama?"

"Naruto was here when the message arrived." Her eyes closed in frustration, knowing the problems this knowledge of the most mysterious of the Konoha 13 would cause would be difficult to fix.

Tenten now understood, her fists tightened and she closed her eyes in anger; outraged at the unfairness, and resentful of the circumstances. She rarely if ever became huffy with Tsunade-sama, her idol and her teacher of sorts. But this was too much.

"Why?" She bit out.

Tsunade stared back in surprise at the angry tone. It was too early to deal with this right now.

"Why what."

"Why did you make her come back here?! She didn't want to! She was perfectly fine doing what she was doing. She's one of the best ambassador's Konoha has, and you force her back here, for what?" She waved her hands in exasperation, asking the same questions with her body language.

Tsunade sighed, knowing it would come to this. The truth was there was no good reason for calling back their only Global ambassador. Hinata Hyuuga had found her niche, if the reports and opinions of their contact countries were anything to go by.

Talented, she had been called by the Daimyo of the Land of Rice. Polite and well-spoken with the wisdom of a sage had said the Raikage. She chuckled. Even the Prince of the Land of Gold had called her a beauty beyond compare with a delightful and engaging wit. (He had made an offer of marriage, which she had declined.)

So Tsunade was truly at a loss as to what a good, logical reason would be for calling back the girl. She had even sent an ANBU to help collect her.

There was no good lie, so she told the truth. She gazed directly at the discerning kunoichi before her. How this girl had become so close and protective of someone not even present was beyond her.

"Naruto will take up my mantle in about two months." She said wearily, her expression finally making her look her age.

"So what, she's supposed to be there in the crowd cheering for him? She's supposed to watch him kiss Sakura or some random girl in his own damn happiness as her heart breaks again?"

The Hokage was affronted at the lack of respect. She glared daggers at the young kunoichi, prompting her to back up a little in fear. "Calm down, Tenten."

"You and I both know the idiot boy needs her. He hasn't been the same in the past five years."

"That's his problem, not hers."

Tsunade wilted under the veracity of the statement, and again closed her eyes to collect herself.

"She's the albatross around his neck." (2)

And with that, Tenten understood why Hinata Hyuga had to come back.

* * *

A/N: Phew! This was a long chapter. I know Naruto doesn't seem like the best person now, but whoo boy just wait!

Bluebell-meaning constancy. (Tenten is an unchanging character for the most part, and I wanted that to be a good thing.) I used the Victorian flower language as a guide for the metaphor. Throughout the story you'll see continued use of flower symbolism and I will have notes on them.

The albatross around someone's neck is an old saying meaning a problem or encumbrance that hinders one accomplishment. An albatross, not dead, is also symbolic of good luck on the seas.


	6. Coming Home

**Coming Home**

"_Naruto, w-why did you want to become Hokage?"_

_The sudden question startled him from his tonkotsu ramen. He turned towards his petite companion in curiosity. What had prompted such an abrupt question? Her head was tilted shyly, waiting for a response, her long hair draped to the side. _

_Her heatbeat rapidly and off temp as it always did when she was with him. 'Oh dear. Maybe he thinks I'm doubting him, or something.' She almost turned to apologize when he responded._

"_Because I wanted to be noticed." He told her honestly, looking at her from behind his messy bangs. His eyes shone with his usual clarity and openness. _

"_Oh, I see." She was a bit speechless, it wasn't what she had been expecting._

"_The 3__rd__ asked me the same question, and he told me that I couldn't become Hokage after I answered him."_

"_I-I'm sorry." She apologized for the question and for what he had been told. She began to fidget with her chopsticks, moving the Udon noodles around her bowl in nervousness. She would not look at him either._

"_It's nothing to be sorry about." He replied thoughtfully. "I remember being so pissed the day he told me that, told me to let go of the one dream I was holding onto."_

_He gently reached for Hinata's hand holding the chopsticks, stopping the movement and causing her to look up at him in surprise. _

"_But you know he was right and I'm grateful to him for telling me so."_

"_Huh?"_

"_Because you see, he made me find the right reason for becoming Hokage."_

"_And w-what was it?"_

_He quickly grasped her hand, tugging her hurriedly and lifted her up into his arms. She confusedly looked back at their lonely bowls of soup, apologetically nodding towards Teuchi and his daughter. 'I promise we'll pay.'_

_Naruto quickly leapt with her numerous squeaks ringing in his head. They flew from rooftop to rooftop, a freeing sensation filling them both. He finally landed atop a fairly large telephone pole, precariously perched at the tip, his cloak fluttering, the orange contrasting with the darkness of her hair. His grip on her tightened as the wind buffeted the two._

_She looked up at his kind face, the shadows of the setting sun slowly outlining his handsome features. He nodded towards the village, inciting her to look as well. And she did. _

_She saw parents and children walking the brightly lit streets hand in hand. She saw the jovial banter of the shop keepers and the shogi games of the elders in coffee shops. She smelled the aroma of Ichiraku and the BBQ restaurant and the myriads of flowers in the Yamanaka shop. And lastly, she saw some of her friends, making their way through the lovely village. She saw Konoha breathing. She saw it living and laughing._

_She looked back towards Naruto, his gaze still directed towards Konohagakure, a fierce determination burning within his eyes. And wordlessly she understood that he had found his reason for becoming Hokage._

* * *

Naruto sat on the head of his father, his head buried in arms as the memory of her ran through his mind. _'I can't stop.'_

And he hadn't stopped thinking about her. He had tried everything these past few days. He had studied more politics, had sparred with Lee and Chouji consecutively for ten hours straight. He had cleaned his apartment from top to bottom. He had even tried going to the bar with Sai to teach him how to flirt. (That had been embarrassing to say the least.)

"I need to focus right now."

He glanced up at the purple night sky, strewn with stars and celestial bodies. Shining like '_her eyes.'_

"Gaah!" He growled in frustration, running his hands through his hair. Now was not the time to wonder about the Hyuuga. His initiation as Hokage was coming up in two months and he still had so much training to undergo, not to mention he was put in charge of writing to their allies and inviting them to the event. He paused. Someone's light steps could be heard shuffling across the rough stone of the monument.

"What is it now Shikamaru?"

"Tch, Tsunade sent me to find you. She wants you to be at the gate when the ambassador returns."

"Okay."

"You know the ANBU sent to pick her up was Hawk right."

"…"

"Since you won't talk to me, I figured you'd want your best friend back. He's on his way."

"I saw _her_ file the other day."

Shikamaru stilled, finally coming to the root of his friend's frustration from the past few days. He sighed, knowing the pain that Naruto was going through; the endless regret and what-ifs that had been playing with his emotions for the past five years. Most of the time, he seemed okay; calm, collected and still energetic with normal social interactions. Yet there were moments; moments when his eyes would dull and he would lose track of whatever conversation he was having.

It had been happening more frequently in the past two days.

"It wasn't your fault, you know that."

"Tell that to Tenten, Kiba and Shino. Heck, even Ino doesn't trust me anymore."

Shikamaru was for once at a loss, knowing that no amount of speech could rouse the blond. _'I wish there was a Naruto Uzumaki for all situations.' _He turned to leave.

"The ambassador will be here at approximately 7 PM, she's a day late."

"…"

"Naruto."

"Yeah."

"I'm on your side." And with that parting statement, he flickered out of sight, blending into the very shadows he could control.

* * *

When Naruto arrived towards the main gate at precisely 6:58 PM, there was already a crowd of several hundred gathered there, among them the remaining Konoha 13. He proudly walked through them, making his way quickly and confidently to the front of it. He was to stand by Tsunade and greet their global ambassador as the successor. And as walked, his stride lengthened and his usual orange cloak whirled behind him, signaling to all that the Uzumaki Naruto, the Hero of the Leaf and the world had arrived. He didn't even flinch when the cheers broke out at his arrival.

He forced his signature grin, and vigorously waved to the crowd, grateful for their acknowledgement and wanting to show his appreciation, no matter what he may have been feeling earlier. These were his precious people, and he would protect them with his life.

He wondered however as to why though such a large crowd had shown up simply for the return of an ambassador, and how the word had gotten out so quickly about her. He didn't even know who she was, but he had heard rumors of her kindness and her fierce loyalty to Konoha. Daimyo and other political leaders who had spoken with her had also met with him after.

And because of her success in establishing ties and even singlehandedly causing seemingly impossible peace treaties to be signed, she had become famous here in Konoha. Despite this, her identity still remained a mystery to all but a few.

"Tsunade-baa-chan!" He smiled warmly at his predecessor, affectionately throwing an arm around her shoulder. The abruptness of the acting caused her to spit out her sake.

"Eheheh, sorry about that." He apologized, rubbing the back of his head.

"Naruto, what have I told you about calling me that in public." She muttered under her breath, the smell of alcohol wafting in the air. She nudged her elbow into his side in a silent warning. He was scared, but then Tsunade was thankfully distracted by-

"Hey, Naruto!"

He turned towards the crowd, spotting a flash of cotton candy pink and maroon. Sakura was widely waving at him, garnering his attention with her usual demeanor. He waved back at his team, an affectionate and nostalgic warmth filling him with some measure of happiness. She stepped forward, awkwardly patting him on the arm in greeting.

Her viridian eyes glittered with curiosity and expectation as they both turned towards the gate.

"They're here!"

And so they were, the ANBU escort had entered first, his stride purposeful and heavy with pride, much like Naruto's was. His hawk mask turned towards the Hokage and her successor, nodding in greeting and as a way to confirm the completion of his mission. He took his place next to Naruto, standing at the ready for any command.

But all heads had turned towards the entrance in expectation. A collective gasp was let loose as she entered. Murmurs broke out and light applause broke out in welcome.

And for Naruto, the world stopped.

Hyuuga Hinata had not changed much in appearance over the five years. But there were differences, and they made her all the more _'amazing.'_

Her back was straight and proud and her figure was no longer obscured by an oversized jacket, but rather she was clad in a simple navy long sleeve with dark athletic leggings clinging to her long legs. Her hair like liquid night was layered with its longest points brushing her hips. Several tendrils flowed behind her, dancing in the moonlight.

But best of all were her eyes. Her periwinkle eyes shimmered with an inner joy that had not been there previously. A luminescent glow surrounded her, lighting every crevice and feature of her pale face. It seemed as if the Hinata that had left was but a hint, a taste of what the real Hinata could become. And here was the final product, molded by time and experience into something very…'_bright.'_

She stopped, right in front of the present and future Hokage, and gave a quick bow.

"Hyuuga, Hinata. Konohagakure's Global Ambassador reporting for summons."

"Welcome back Hinata." Tsunade said fondly, internally wincing at the pained expression on Naruto's face. _'So he didn't know.'_

Hinata looked up, surveying her future leader with a serene and guarded expression.

"Good evening Naruto-san. It's a pleasure to see you doing well."

With a slight nod in his direction and wave at the crowd gathered, she leaped from the gate, heading towards the Hokage Tower to finish filing her very long report.

A/N: I'm not very happy with this chapter, but it was necessary to finally have her come home. Now the real interactions start and the story can progress. I also want to thank everyone who has followed or favorited this fanfic. It really means a lot, and I hope I won't disappoint. Special shoutout to Ayrmed who had reviewed every chapter thus far. And I would like to thank Johnny (Guest) for his honest opinion. It's nice to have some criticism so I know what I may work on.


	7. Regrets

_**Regrets**_

_She treaded quietly, her light footsteps hardly making the mahogany floor boards creak. She kept her head down, lilac eyes looking at the ground, not really seeing the menacing white walls and the occasional paper doors passing by. Her gait was hesitant and full of trepidation as she turned to the left. 'Mother, what should I do? What would he do?'_

_Almost as if on cue, a flash of memory raced through her head, golden hair bright as the sun, a beaming face and glittering blue._

_And a change came over her._

_Her pace become less erratic and she looked as if she were gliding, not walking. Her waist length dark hair swayed jauntily as her eyes flashed confidence and fear; her small mouth still tightened in worry. Yet, her back straightened and her arms swung earnestly. This change stayed, even as she completed her journey, even as she gently knocked on the looming door painted with a chocolate lacquer._

_It stayed even when she heard the clan head's icy voice inviting her in. She briefly took in he heavy desk he was seated at, the dark room speckled with the Hyuuga flame and several traditional weapons._

"_Father." She greeted the stern man before her, oddly white eyes blankly staring through her, and permanent frown lines unusually relaxed. He looked, somewhat…sad. She shook her head, that wasn't possible, her father was never sad in her presence. _

"_Hinata" He acknowledged her greeting, his eyes hardening slightly as he saw her polite bowed head. 'Look at me.' He wanted to say. Almost as if she had heard his thoughts, she raised her head, facing one the men she had been trying so hard for all her life. She faced him, and she was afraid and nervous and it was quite clear by the unshed tears in her eyes and the worrying of her bottom lip. _

_But Hyuuga, Hiashi was still proud, all because she had looked up anyway._

"_Do you know why I have called you here?"_

_She shook her head in the negative. "Is it about me and…Naruto-kun?"_

"_What do you mean about you and Uzumaki?" He asked incredulously, his fatherly instincts kicking in. "Has he defiled you? Are you pregnant with his child?"_

"_W-What?" Hinata squeaked, surprised by his questions._

"_We must arrange a marriage, and swiftly. He will hon-"_

"_NO!" She interrupted him vehemently, waving her arms and blushing crazily. "Father, none of that has occurred."_

_He stopped, surprised at her vehemence and temporarily distracted from his burning anger at the boy. "Oh."_

_And for several moments, there was an unbearably tense and embarrassing silence before some light huffing could be heard coming from Hiashi. Hinata's eyes widened. He was laughing, he was really laughing. And then she joined in, his baritone and regal chuckles melodiously joined by her tinkling giggles. _

_And Hyuuga Hiashi was still proud, simply because she was his daughter._

* * *

Hiashi sighed as he recalled the one laugh they had shared. He sat at the same heavy desk in the same lacquered desk as that day. He was even wearing the same set of simple beige robes. He, however, was not the same. He glanced over the vase of light violet Colchicum (1) and the white Cardamine flowers (2).

Five years since, his hairline had receded a bit. (Unnoticeable, said the clan members, trying to be respectful.) There was a bit more gray threaded through his rich chocolate strands, some from before Hinata's departure. (Most of them were from after.) His eyes were softer too, and he could almost swear that because of that, there was a hint of grey or silver, as opposed to the usual white. (Hinata's coloration had been a rare gift, imparted by her mother.)

"Hitomi." He whispered, intently looking at the small family portrait he held in his hands. His large hands gently caressed the small, smiling woman in the picture. She tenderly held an infant in her arms.

Hyuuga Hitomi, previously Tsukino, had been an inhabitant of the famous Crescent Island, with which Konoha had strong ties. She was a gentle soul, very kind and beautiful. Hiashi's gaze traced the flowing eggplant hair, and achingly missed her violet eyes.

Next to her stood a tiny four year old Hinata; her large eyes nearly swallowing her face whole; a window into all her thoughts and emotions. Throughout the years, as far as Hiashi knew, that was the one thing that had remained a constant. Her open display of emotions, he had deemed as weakness and a liability. It was too much of a liability for a Hyuuga heir to have, and so he had pushed her hard and pushed her away. And he regretted it; sorely and achingly regretted it, asking what-ifs and wondering when her S-rank mission would be completed.

'_I couldn't protect her from them. I'm sorry Hitomi.'_

Finally his thoughts turned to the infant in the picture. She had such rosy cheeks and his dark brown hair. She had been a large child upon birth, and the labor had truly pushed Hitomi to her physical limits. (Hitomi had fallen ill and died a year after.)

But when she was born, they both knew, she would be a strong child.

And they had been right. She had quickly outgrown Hinata in every way possible, including stature. But she had grown up without her mother, hardened by Hiashi's training and the clan's expectations.

A knock on his study door alerted him to her presence. _'Speaking of…'_

"Father." Her white eyes gazed impassively at him as she gave him a quick bow. He was surprised to know that she tightly held a small branch containing several tiny yellow buds. _'Corchorus.' (3)_

"What is it Hanabi?" He asked, curious as to why she was here so late at the evening.

Hanabi's lip trembled and her eyes tightened in an attempt to stave off the lump in her throat and the breaking dam behind her eyes.

"She's back."

* * *

Hinata discreetly surveyed the Hokage's office, viewing little change from five years prior. The large windows were still not obscured by any curtains, something she had always appreciated. There were several more file cabinets spread around the room and a coat hanger to the left of the light colored wooden Hokage desk.

The most noticeable change was the familiar bright orange cloak hanging on the coat hanger. Its black flames looked oddly melancholy, possibly because she had always seen them flowing in the wind or with whatever beautiful movements its wearer performed.

She stood in front of Tsunade-sama, clasping her hands patiently. A contemplative expression graced her pale face, her eyes gleaming with wild emotions, buried just beneath the surface. Tsunade noticed her upright carriage and the way her head was held high, as if she cared not what the world thought. She was amused to note that it in no way imparted a sense of arrogance. Rather, it showed she was a being who was simply content with who she was.

"You're late, Hyuuga, Hinata." She said firmly, not hiding her slight discontent.

"So I was. And I am verily sorry, Tsunade-sama." She gave a brief nod to indicate her apology.

Tsunade laced her fingers together, and rested her chin upon them, quirking an eyebrow at her Kunoichi's regal demeanor. She waited for an explanation.

"I will take full responsibility. Please do not blame Hawk-san." She started. "I took a longer route and we walked part of the way."

"Why?"

Here Hinata beamed and her eyes lost focus.

"Have you ever stopped to look at an autumn forest after its stopped raining, but only just after?"

"I'm sorry to say I have not." Tsunade was entertained and somewhat taken aback. She continued to give a steady gaze, hoping to get a logical response from the odd little thing.

"That's why we were a day late." Hinata stated plainly.

Tsunade gaped at the nonchalant girl standing so audaciously before her. This was not the still timid and incredibly morose porcelain doll that had stood before her, five years ago, absolutely begging for a long term mission. This was not the same Hinata, and yet she was. Her eyes were still just as wide open in emotion and her every expression told her entire story. She was still petite, with small shoulders. But this time they were not bent, as if the burden she had been carrying was lifted (or maybe she simply had better posture). She grunted.

"I'll let you off this time Hyuuga. You've done a fine job these past five years, and it would be usless to reprimand you. Just be on time from now on."

"Thank you, Tsunade-sama. I have finished the report for these past two months in the capital. The Daimyo also sends his sincere greetings and well-wishes."

"Alright Hyuuga, you've done your job. Now we need to figure out your living arrangements for the next two months. From what I understand, you have requested not to stay within the clan compound." She unlaced her fingers and began sifting through a pile of papers to her right, trying to locate her ambassador's original request sent by albatross.

"Yes ma'am." Hinata said brightly, a soft smile lighting up her face, before the statement fully registered.

"W-wait, two months?!" She gawped at the busty Hokage. A sly smile inched its way across Tsunade's face, scaring the little traveler.

"Of course. It's Naruto's Hokage ceremony and we want all his comrades to be there."

"Oh." Hinata tensed, having the wind knocked out of her. For the first time in a while, she was truly scared.

"Of course, you're not the only shinobi on active duty we've called back. Those that could will come back closer to that time period."

Here the global ambassador narrowed her eyes, suspicious. "W-Why was I called back so early then?"

And Tsunade's grin was finally fully in place, a frightening sneer that made the usually chipper girl tremble in her boots and she reached for the hem of her long shirt, nervous.

"Hyuuga, Hinata. You're new mission is to help Naruto Uzumaki prepare for the ceremony and to finish his Hokage studies."

"W-What?!" Hinata shouted in horror.

"You will be in charge of helping invite our many allies, as well as be responsible for Naruto's overall happiness. Have I made myself clear?"

For once, the new Hyuuga Hinata was speechless. Her mouth gaping at the smug Godaime.

"Close your mouth Hyuuga, you look ridiculous."

* * *

A/N: 1- Colchicum- a small flower with 5 upright petals, usually growing in clusters of 2 or more. Its meaning is "My best days are past."

2- Cardamine- a tiny four petal flower, typically in colors of white or light lavender. It means "Paternal error"

3- Corchorus – a flowering plant that gives of small yellow flowers. Its leaves are termed mallow-leaves and are used in several Asian and Middle Eastern dishes. It means "Impatient of absence"

And yep that's chapter 7. Naruhina goodness coming up, I promise.

And I would like to personally thank xXYourDoomXx, aelita444 (love your username), Johnny (Thanks for the honest opinion again), Impossible Dream (I agree : )), and the ever awesome reviewer Ayrmed. Also to everyone who has followed or favorited this story. You guys are the best.


	8. To Stand On One's Own

**To Stand On One's Own**

Her mouth clicked shut, her jaw tensed.

This was not fair. It was utterly not fair, and Tsunade-sama was not in the right; not in the right to assign her to this kind of mission. She needed to calm down before she answered. She quickly glanced in the corner of the room, noting the flourishing arrangement of lilac polyanthus (1) flowers, with vibrant petals and yellow starburst centers facing the night sky.

She was Hinata Hyuuga and she would not be the means to an end for anyone, and above all, she would not put herself in humiliating situations. Her pride roared against the order, and her small fists tightened at her sides, no longer clutching her shirt.

"No."

Tsunade gaped at the blatant refusal, hazel eyes widening at the sight of steely lilac ones. Hinata would not back down. She saw that now. She had overestimated her hold on the girl, basing her assumptions on what she had known of her five years past. And it gave her the strangest feelings of melancholy and joy, to know that one of her kunoichi had come so far on her own. Still curious, she asked one more question.

"You would disobey an order from your Hokage?"

"With all due respect Tsunade-sama, I am an ambassador. I am not an event organizer, and so to ask me to help with the ceremony makes no sense. I am not a counselor, and therefore am not qualified to help Naruto-san with his problems, and furthermore playing favorites is a dangerous sport, Lady Tsunade."

At this point, she continued to glower pointedly at her Hokage, trembling with fury.

* * *

"_Remember Hyuuga-san, show no weakness in all your dealings." Mei Terumi, the current Mizukage, kindly looked at the gentle soul before her. The girl's tightly wound nerves were evident by her constant fidgeting and knitted eyebrows. 'She's very much like Chojuro, sweet and strong.'_

_They both were about to enter into the conference room to meet with the neighboring Land of Sea Dragons to negotiate boundaries of several economically viable islands._

"_B-But I'm not the Hokage, how c-can I represent Konoha's p-policies on such a heated topic?"_

"_I trust your judgment. It's alright to be scared Hinata-chan, so long as you're sure in yourself."_

_She gave the girl a small wink and a comforting pat on the back, threw open the double doors and stepped into the long room. Hinata peered in after her, slightly frightened by the large windows overlooking the misty city. She maintained focus on the trailing auburn hair of the woman before her. _

'_Self-confidence…confidence…confidence' The mantra ran through her head, slowly filling her with courage and calm._

'_I can do this. I just need to…believe it.' And with that last thought, Hinata Hyuuga stood upright and proud. She surveyed the room. The Mizukage was already seated at the front, flanked by Chojuro and Ao. Hinata took her place to the right of her host, giving a steady look towards the other visitors. A large bearded man, wearing an elaborate aquamarine kimono with golden serpents embroidered throughout sneered at the Hyuuga, hoping to intimidate her._

_It didn't work._

* * *

"You're right and I am sorry." Tsunade's gaze softened wearily and she abruptly stood up. She slowly made her way around her desk and towards her ambassador.

Hinata had not expected this, and was thoroughly taken aback. Her anger rapidly deflated at the softly-spoken apology. She shifted, hoping to distance herself slightly from the approaching Hokage. When she looked up, she noticed the soft look in the honey colored eyes and the rare gentle smile on her face.

"Tsunade-sama?" Hinata asked confusedly, her steely eyes softening at the changed expression.

And before she knew what had happened, she was enveloped in a warm embrace, the forest green of Tsunade's coat clouding her vision and the oddly faint scent of earthy moss filled her nose. (2)

"Welcome back, Hinata-chan."

* * *

Naruto trudged through the brightly lit streets of Konoha, completely absorbed in replaying one simple line; one small moment that had stretched into a deliciously painful eternity.

"_Good evening Naruto-san. It's a pleasure to see you doing well."_

His hands were shoved into the pockets of his orange pants, his dark short-sleeve shirt hardly protecting him from the chill autumn air. But he could not feel it, he was numb from his heart down, or was it his head down? The slight sting of the cold air had nothing on the terse and polite greeting she had given him. It had nothing on the one syllable honorific tagged onto his name. _'Naruto-san.'_

And he could remember that the syllables of his name, slowly pouring like honey from her pink lips were like water to him. But then that last syllable tacked on was something else altogether. _'It's different.'_

"I hate it." He murmured to the starry night, ambling his way through the loud market square, oblivious to the sounds of life and joy. He vaguely waved when he would hear his name called in greeting, but kept on walking. Typically, he would have taken joy in the robustness of the shogi players in the coffee shops, the laughing faces in the warmth of small dango and tea shops.

Typically he would have been grinning and joining in on the fun. But tonight had not been typical, and he was going to take the time needed to sort himself out; take the time to rid himself of the turmoil ripping through him, the very pain making his legs move farther and farther from the main gate and the Hokage tower.

He eventually and obliviously made his way to the quiet and dimly lit residential outskirts of Konoha, his legs slowly pumping up steeper slopes leading to the Hokage monument. And so he climbed, vaguely aware of the dusting of stars and the indigo hues spread across the sky, marveling at how much there was to remind him.

He glanced to the left of the corridor like stairs, a small house bearing several climbing dog roses in brilliant shades of scarlet, and their simple single petal structures so different from their more flamboyant relatives. (3) _'How ironic.'_

Finally he reached the very top, a plateau covered in earthy loam and the occasional spots of crab grass and dandelions. Tonight however, there lay a cluster of small truffles (4), poking their merry caps out of the unusually moist soil. He kicked at them, destroying the circular formation and slightly despairing in the fact that the actual mushroom lay below the earth, safe from his wrath.

And as he looked up from the crushed caps, his breath hitched and his chest was shot through.

Because there she was, staring out at the lights of the village. A silent specter who seemed to effervescently shine and twinkle along with them.

"Hinata…" He called out, for the first time in a long while. The soft sound coming out as a sigh.

She still heard him, and with her lovely parted lips and bright jeweled eyes widened in surprise, she turned to him and said nothing. What could she say? And so she quickly reverted to her professional persona, one she used in dealings with political leaders and higher ups. So quick was the change, it was almost audible.

The steely snap of doors closing as her eyes glazed over, covering her inner thoughts.

"It's a pleasure to see you Naruto-san."

Naruto gaped at the cold and distant tone, her lilting voice still conveying a faraway politeness that hurt more than any kunai ever could.

"You're back."

"So I am."

His fists clenched, his emotional peak had been reached and he was done tip toeing around the issue. He had come here to be alone and to think and to forget, and she would not let him. Enough was enough.

"Five years! Five damn years you've been gone!" His eyes turned icy, their warmth almost all but gone. His arm swept to the side, almost as if waving off his statement as unimportant.

"Naru-"

"Don't. Don't you dare! You didn't write, didn't even try and contact me or any one of us for that matter."

"Naruto-san stop!" She shouted, her eyes shut in pain and sorrow, and stars running down her cheeks. Her fists were clutching the hem of her green jacket, trying to regain her calm and poise. This wasn't how she pictured their would-be encounter; this wasn't how she wanted him to see her.

"No, I won't."

There was no reply, only the quiet whisper of the breeze.

"I won't stop. Because it damn hurt when you left. And it damn hurt when everyone blamed it on me." His hand vehemently went to his chest, clutching at where the pain radiated from.

It was deathly quiet and still for several minutes afterwards, neither one moving, nor daring to speak, until…

"I'm sorry for that."

She was looking straight at him, her eyes finally shining in sincerity and earnestness. But it was his murmured and utterly broken question that floored her.

"Why?"

And as he looked at her, his face crumpled, his eyes dulled and shadowed. Even his usually upright hair seemed deflated somehow, and it was this image of her broken Naruto that prompted her to answer.

"Because I needed to stand on my own."

He gazed at her regal frame, the confidence that had not been there prior oozing out of her every movement, and in that moment, he knew what would hurt her the most.

"You haven't changed at all."

Her eyes momentarily drooped, and for an instant he saw the damage he had caused with his words. But it was only a moment, because the next she was standing tall again, her eyes cold and polite. She gave him a curt nod and with that she left him, her dark tendrils of hair sweeping past him as she did, bombarding him with scent of fresh Hibiscus.

Then, he was alone.

A/n: And we started with a surprise encounter. Thank you again for reviewing everyone! I don't have much time to name everyone, so just a great big fat thank you is what I can give.

Polyanthus- confidence

Moss- maternal affection

Dog rose- pain and pleasure

Truffles- surprise


	9. The Imperfect Truth

A/N: Again thank you to everyone who reviewed. I appreciate the compliments and the constructive criticisms alike. I did struggle a bit with Tsunade's interaction with Hinata and I somewhat based the affection on a filler episode of Shippuden titled the "The Girls Get Together" (It's really cute, and Tsunade does actually half hug Hinata and tries to apologize for something, so yeah…). As far as Naruto goes, well you'll see….

Warning: NaruSaku ahead people, kind of….

* * *

Haruno Sakura was polite and boisterous, colorful and a lady all at the same time. She liked to think of herself as an honest and straightforward person. (And to be sure, if you asked anyone who knew her, they would tell you it was true.) She was also kind. (That's what people at the hospital said, anyway.) And so when Hinata had abruptly left five years prior, and her blond best friend and teammate was left to deal with the aftermath, she decided to help him.

And if she was being honest, it was because she had harbored small yet blooming feelings for him. (Not quite love, but not just friendship anymore.) At that time, even with Sasuke-kun back in the picture and the cliche 'never forget your first love' still taking place, she had decided she needed to be a bit selfish, and so had snapped up the opportunity to care of the broken Uzumaki.

That of course had led to a brief stint of a relationship and physical intimacy, before dissolving into something akin to a "friends with benefits" scenario, with the benefits being few and far between. She had been honest with him regarding her feelings for him and the entire relationship, telling him exactly how she felt. And so Sakura Haruno knew where she stood in that aspect, and felt no guilt to the mutual arrangement.

It was the evening of the mysterious ambassador's return, and she was shocked and shaken like many of the Konoha 13 had been upon finding out who it had been.

* * *

"_Hinata?" Came a gruff disbelieving voice, barely able to say the name. She knew who it was and felt a pang of sympathy. 'Poor Kiba'_

_But Sakura was more concerned for the gaping man next to her, his whiskers misconfigured by the opening and closing of his jaw. It would have been somewhat funny had the situation not been what it was._

_And her heart broke just a little for her Hokage-to-be friend as she heard the polite and emotionless greeting._

_But when she looked back for Naruto, past the receding crowd, he was already gone._

* * *

So here she sat in her plush, wine red love seat, a cozy fire simmering in the grate, and a steaming mug of White Chrysanthemum in her grasp.(1) The sweet scent flowed through the air, gracing her tiny living room. The unexpected drizzle of rain beat rhythmically against her green curtained window. She sighed in comfort, relishing the softness of her flannel pajamas, and glad of the freedom that came with owning one's own home. This old peach colored building had lay across town from the hospital, closer to the Hokage monument. It had been one of the few not demolished during Pein's attack, and its old style charm had attracted her instantly.

She settled farther into the couch, simply relaxing and contemplating the night's events when a loud series of knocks interrupted her.

She quickly set the mug down (using her pinkie to cushion the placement), and reluctantly went to open the door.

There stood a drenched Naruto, clad in only a fitted black shirt with the Uzumaki spiral emblazoned, and his regular orange pants, all sticking close and outlining every detail. His hair was matted and his bangs shadowed his face. But what startled her most of all was the wild look in his eye. It was that of a caged animal, frenzied and unseeing.

She immediately side stepped to let him inside, then turned to close the door. Not a few moments after, she was roughly grasped by two strong arms, and her mouthed attacked by rough, chapped lips. Pleasure shot through her, and she participated, although a thought niggled at the back of her mind. _'Something's wrong. This is wrong.'_

It was when his hands began to roam, higher and lower, making smooth circles that she recalled her senses and willed herself to higher thoughts. The gentle placement of her hands against his chest was enough of a signal to stop him.

"Why Sakura?" His voice was husky, throaty in its confusion.

She looked up at the towering man. He was beautiful with his longer blonde locks unbound by his usual headband. His stormy blue eyes heated at the passionate moment, but not really seeing her. He was looking past her, at something, or someone else. (Possibly someone with long, trailing indigo tresses and eyes of starlight.)

"You're not okay. Be honest."

"What are you talking about? I'm perfectly fine." He grinned slyly, the smile not quite reaching his eyes.

He lowered his lips towards her, this time stopped by pale fingers at his mouth.

She moved her hand gently to his cheek. Her bright, emerald eyes narrowed, challenging him to repeat his statement. Then she threw back his words from years previous to her, albeit softer, and simply as a reminder of who we was and what he stood for.

"I hate people who lie to themselves."

* * *

It was lunch time, and Shikamaru Nara sighed. It was time for the regular (weekly) meet up of Team Asuma at Yakiniku BBQ. (Choji had picked the restaurant.) And it was Shikamaru's turn to treat.

And yet again, it was raining.

His arms lazily held a blue umbrella; not caring of the weather, as he nonchalantly ambled his way to the entrance of the BBQ, knowing of the gossip and rumors that would bombard his ears today.

"_Did you hear? The Hyuuga heiress is back."_

"_Yeah, who would of thought she'd have the guts to do a job like that."_

"_She's different, something's different."_

"_Is Naruto okay?"_

"_I don't know he was pretty beat up after she left."_

And so on and so forth. And Shikamaru knew that because he was friends and teammates with one of the largest gossips in Konoha that his usually peaceful lunch was not going to be so. His steps slowed as he reached the wooden building now housing the new BBQ. His desire for warmth was at odds with his reluctance to hear gossip. The aroma of the sweet and spicy selections of meats began its onslaught. _'Man, my clothes are going to smell for days.'_

He quickly spotted Chouji already seated in a booth near the entrance. His large arm waved over his best friend, eager to start the meal.

"Where's Ino?" Shikamaru inquired, curious as to why she was later than he was. (That was something really rare.) He quickly collapsed his umbrella, stowing it under the table.

"She had to run a few errands for the flower shop, something about wedding bouquets for a local princess."

Shikamaru quirked an eyebrow, marveling at the fact that a princess would choose such a small flower shop for what would probably be an extravagant occasion.

"She's been running around all day. It's kinda funny, each time she comes back with different flowers on her."

Shikamaru slid into the booth next to his large friend, and called for the first round of sweet pork to be served. He would deal with Ino's wrath later, or so he thought, when she suddenly burst into the establishment, clad in her usual violet ninja outfit, sporting several goblet shaped violet Cobaea (2) flowers hanging from one arm, and another holding a periwinkle and aquamarine speckled umbrella. She quickly handed it off to Chouji to fold.

"Sorry I'm late, that woman is driving us all nuts with her talk and her nitpicks."

Chouji laughed heartily at the sight of the disheveled Ino, her usually immaculate blonde hair flying all over, and escaping her high ponytail. Shikamaru quirked an eyebrow at the unusual flowers, wondering at their placement in a wedding.

Ino looked down at their amused glances and gasped.

"Damn her and her lack of beauty sense."

She vehemently divested herself of the few flowers, discarding them in the waste bin, huffing at their hidden meaning. _'Of all the…'_

With their chuckles fading, Team Asuma settled into their usual lunch routine, consisting of Chouji making neutral and sage remarks in between large bites of cooked beef, Shikamaru's noncommittal grunts, and Ino's rapid fire gossip and talk.

Shikamaru had begun to space out, when the subject of Hinata' s arrival was brought up.

"I mean I know she's a good ambassador and everything, but come on, several hundred people. And its Hinata-chan…you know?"

"Maybe she really is just that good at her job." Chouji answered in her favor.

"Or just has a really good publicity team." Ino responded.

"It makes sense, to some extent." The two stared at Shikamaru, waiting for an explanation

"I think you would want a global ambassador to have some clout behind her name, I mean that kind of publicity can't really hurt her." He quickly said. "Not to mention she is the Hyuuga heiress."

Ino nodded, mollified. "Well I was surprised, she wasn't all red and stuttery. She wasn't…Hinata-chan."

"He really did a number on her, didn't he?" She asked airily, all of them knowing exactly who the _he_ was.

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed slightly, defensive of his friend. "There are always two sides to every story, Ino. You should know that what with you being the gossip queen."

"I am not the gossip queen! And if you know so much, why don't you enlighten us Oh Lord Know It All?" She bantered huffily.

"Troublesome woman, it's not my story to tell."

Chouji remained wisely silent, stuffing his mouth with more of the delicious tender beef.

* * *

The rain beat outside, increasing in severity, till the slight _pitter-patter _had become something else altogether. The slate atmosphere and the dim street lighting near the small inn rendered the tiny room dark, without the aid of artificial light.

The room was simple. A full size bed with a cream duvet and chartreuse cotton sheets. Thin gossamer curtains and here and there several chests of drawers for the occupants belongings. On the wall opposite the bed, facing the window, rested an impressionistic floral painting, depicting a field of lavender mourning bride flowers (3), their many petaled buttons softly brushing against sprigs of small, star shaped henbane flowers (4), their dark centers being the only boldness of the painting.

Hinata sat curled up on the bed, her knees to her chest, and her head bent, shadowed by her heavy bangs. She was lost again in the torrent of the rain, lost in the repetition of a precious memory.

_It was pouring then, her white umbrella lay soiled in a puddle, bent and broken, just like her at that moment. Her fingers trembled at the icy chill of the water, her waist-length hair stuck uncomfortably close to her as she looked at him, eyes wide in disbelief._

"_W-What do you mean?" she queried softly._

"_I can't do this to you. I can't lead you on, when I might still lo-" _

"_Don't!"_

_It was his turn to stare in disbelief. His damp blonde hair, no longer in its usual unruly style framed his widened stone blue eyes. His mouth gaped in mid speech, as he tentatively reached for her. What could he say? What would she say? _

"_Hinata…"_

"_I know…" She shakily began, startling him. She looked down hesitating. _"_I know we can't change who w-we have f-feelings for. And I-I understand that but…"_

"_Hinata, I want to…I mean I.."_

_She suddenly looked up, her eyes determined and a gentle request brewing in them._

"_Time." She stated simply._

"_What?"  
_

"_Time" She repeated. "Give me time to be b-by your side, give me time to show you."_

"_But I can't hurt y-."_

"_You won't." She smiled gently. "You won't because I'm being selfish this time and I want to stay by your side Naruto-kun."_

_Unbeknownst to her, his heart was racing and the warm tendrils of...something began to curl in his chest._

_Hinata had resumed gazing at the small ripples creating by the rain drops, unfeeling of the chill. All she felt was a sudden blazing warmth and a piney scent filled her nose, a slight aroma of ramen broth accompanying it. And in her line of sight, all she could see was…orange._

_He was hugging her._

_His arms encircled her waist tightly crushing her to his chest, and her face was buried in his coat. And before she could respond or even register her emotions, there came a quiet…_

"_Thank you, Hinata-chan."_

_Her arms lifted from her sides to rest on his broad back, clutching at his wet cloak. The two stayed in the rain, embracing, oblivious to the increased torrent of the downpour and their drenched clothes._

_The white umbrella lay forgotten on the ground._

* * *

White chrysanthemum- tell the truth, honesty

Cobaea- gossip

Mourning bride- an unfortunate attachment

Henbane- imperfection


	10. Moments in Time

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the twist at the end of last chapter. Hehehe. This chapter will be very short as I have a research paper to work on. Once again thank you to everyone who reviewed and who favorited/followed the story. On with the chapter!

* * *

_Neji watched as his younger cousin finally relaxed from her Gentle Fist stance; her arms lowered and the distended veins of the Byakugan faded. Her fatigue was evident by the rise and fall of her shoulders beneath her oversized lavender coat. The color scheme complemented the nearby patches of columbines (1), their outer petals star shaped and inner white petals round and small._

_He vaguely rubbed his shoulder, marveling at the fact that she had managed to land several blows. He was not in the least bit tired, his stamina far outpacing Hinata-sama's. But even so, even if she had managed to land in five blows to his fifteen, and even if she was utterly tired, he was proud. _

"_You've improved Hinata-sama." He said plainly, noting the brilliant smile that spread across her face at his praise. 'Such a simple thing as this…'_

"_T-Thank you s-so much Neji-nii-san!" She beamed at him, grateful for his help and his rare compliment. "It was all because you helped me!"_

"_I think you are almost ready for the Chunin exams." He nodded his head in approval, long brown hair gently falling on his face, and the beginnings of a grin tugging at his mouth. He quickly cleared his throat to disguise the fact._

"_Hinata-sama, you have come a long way, but do not stop striving."_

_She kept her smile, nodding her head vigorously; her shoulder length locks flying this way and that. She had begun growing it out, finding the heavy weight of it oddly comforting. She blushed, a determined look crossing her face. "I won't because I have to get stronger."_

"_Thinking of Naruto again?" _

"_Ehh?!" She squeaked taken aback._

_Neji chuckled at his shy cousin, aware of her feelings for the inspirational and headstrong boy. "He helped us both."_

_She mellowed a bit at his admission. "It's not just for that reason."_

"_Hinata-sama?"_

"_I-I want to get strong so I can h-help end the divide between the main and the b-branch. I want to g-get strong to make us a family, not just a clan." _

_Neji stared, pleasantly surprised at his cousin's resolve and steady voice. "I believe that you can do it, Hinata-sama."_

"_I believe that we can do it together, Neji-nii-san." She gently smiled at him, her eyes shining with a resolve akin to what he had seen during their fight two years ago. "We're going to change the c-clan, I promise."_

_And in a rare display of affection, he placed his hand on her small shoulder, an approving smile finally shining through._

* * *

Hinata awoke from a memory filled sleep, reluctant to open her eyes. She felt the slight discomfort that comes from falling asleep in one's day clothes, the durable material not serving as comfortable sleepwear. She lay on the small bed for several moments, her eyes closed, knowing what she would have to face.

The melancholy that had filled her dreams had continued onto waking life, and she felt the beginning pressure of tears pooling at the corners of her eyes. She quickly pressed her fingers to them, wiping away the drops. And finally opened her eyes to greet the day.

The brightness of the sun streaming in nearly blinded her. She blinked the last remnants of sleep away, and sat up to examine her surroundings. She had been so distracted last night; she had not taken the time to look.

She enjoyed the simplicity of the décor, glancing at the painting across the room. She could briefly make out the colors, but the exact details were blurry. She panicked for a moment. _'It can't be getting this bad already.'_

She dug her hands into her eyes, digging her palms into them to relieve the unpleasant fogginess. Her vision momentarily cleared, only to be obscured again. _'Oh.'_

She felt silly as the tears kept falling, the combination of her nostalgic dream and last night's events finally catching up to her. All she could do was let them fall, as she waited for the moment to pass in silence.

Unnoticed was the box of bright orange helenium (2) hanging on the window, gently waving on the breeze.

* * *

The morning lights poured through his bedroom window, filtered and dulled by the drawn blinds and the gray clouds still looming over Konoha.

Naruto had not slept a wink. After he had left Sakura's house and entered into his lonely apartment, trudging to his bedroom to simply flop on his bed. He felt disturbed and achy and overall like _'shit'. _

A flash of pained lavender eyes and a broken look cause him to bury his head farther into his pillow, the uncomfortable pangs of guilt and regret grabbing hold of his chest and not letting go. He shifted, restless and frustrated at the situation. He quickly bolted upright, the silky sheets slowly sliding off, exposing his naked upper torso. His tired azure gaze shifted to the right, settling on the silver knob of a drawer.

He quickly reached for it. And for some reason, (he had no idea whatsoever), he frantically tore into his nightstand's top drawer, rummaging through the layers of papers and bills.

"Got ya!" He muttered triumphantly as he pulled out a small journal, its brown leathery cover quite plain and nondescript. He quickly flipped the pages to the center of the small book and located his prize. His brow furrowed at the sight, partly in wonder at the thing seemingly frozen in time.

Inside was a delicately pressed and dried Hibiscus flower, its transparent violet petals perfectly preserved.

* * *

A/N: Data book fact: One of Hinata's hobbies is flower pressing.

Purple columbine- resolved to win

Helenium- tears


	11. Reunion

**Reunion**

For once, the rain had stopped, the normally sunny weather of Konoha had returned. It had been a full day since her reluctant return, and Hinata was ready to resume her daily training regimen. She was somewhat reluctant to leave the tiny inn, somewhat fearful of running into Naruto. And so on the morning of her second day, at approximately 9:00 AM, she gently lifted herself out of the downy bed and absently reached for the black fitted pants and navy long sleeves neatly folded on the nearby chest of drawers. She dressed quickly and double checked the small pouch on her right hip to make sure she had enough kunai and shuriken for at least three hours of practice.

She glanced over quickly at the small mirror in the bathroom adjacent to her closet and sighed. Her long hair was mussed, looking like Alba-chan's nest and the bags under her large eyes told of the restless nights she had spent. She quickly giggled at her disheveled appearance and used her two index fingers to pull her lips into a smile.

'_No more crying. Please…'_

And so further determined to make it a good day she swiftly spun on her heel and made her way out. The door neatly clicked shut as she exited the room.

* * *

_Kurenai Yuhi was not a cynical woman by nature, but when she saw the two teammates her charge had been put with, she wondered if the arrangement would really work out. Her bright red eyes scanned the odd trio. _

_The petite heiress was dressed in an oversized beige coat with a fur lined bottom; she was again fidgeting. The boisterous fanged boy was also wearing a tan jacket, its hood furred with black. His dog lay calmly at his side, waiting. The third boy's face was hidden by a tall grey collar, his sunglasses concealing the rest of his face. _

_They all sat in the middle of Training Field Eight, a small clearing surrounded by several acacia trees(1), their cone shaped structures casting long shadows. _

_She decided to start with the scripted icebreaker (recommended for all new genin teams on their first day). _

"_Okay everyone. I would like each of us to go around and state our names, our likes and dislikes, and future aspirations."_

_She sighed as she saw the trio stare at each other; all of them waiting for another to speak. _

"_Well then I will start first. My name is Kurenai Yuhi. I enjoy reading historical fiction and biographies, as well as drinking tea. I hate making judgments before knowing someone and I try to be as open-minded as possible. My future goals include learning at least thirty new genjutsu before the year is up and to make you the best tracking team of your class."_

_She gave a pointed glance towards her team, knowing who would be the first to speak._

_The gruff voice of the Inuzuka boy was the first to be heard, a confident grin spread across his face, exposing abnormally sharp canines and his small white dog barked in agreement._

"_My name is Kiba Inuzuka. I like training with Akamaru, training with Akamaru, eating with Akamaru, and playing with Akamaru." He pointed towards the puppy on next to him. It wagged its tail excitedly, yapping again. "I hate people who think they're better than others and my dream is to be known for my strength, maybe I even want to be Hokage one day."_

_He grinned pointedly at his quiet teammates, his loud manner contrasting with the other two. It was then a surprise when a quiet voice spoke._

"_Ah, n-nice to meet you K-Kiba-kun and Akamaru-k-kun." A small smile alighted upon the shy Hyuuga's face as she reached out her hand towards the excited mutt. Kiba merely watched, surprised as Akamaru happily nuzzled into her touch, his tail never ceasing to wag._

_Seeing that all the attention was on her, Hinata immediately withdrew into herself, her short hair not nearly long enough to conceal her bright blush. She glanced up from beneath her bangs, amazed to see Kiba giving her an exuberant thumbs-up in encouragement._

"_U-umm, m-my name is Hinata H-Hyuuga." She inwardly winced at the weight of her surname, nearly suffocating under all it came with. "I-I like f-flower p-pressing and…"_

_Here she stopped, her blush reaching impossible levels of red at the thought of WHO she liked. She continued, "I d-dislike unnecessary c-conflict and prejudice. And I d-dream of one day getting stronger and uniting m-my family."_

_She looked up, surprised at the gaping jaw of Kiba and the raised eyebrows of Shino. They had been stunned by the gradual strengthening of her voice as she stated her goal. She again looked down and resumed fidgeting with her fingers, her long jacket sleeves concealing the action._

"_My name is Shino Aburame. I enjoy eating winter melon and adding to my live insect collection. I dislike being forgotten and I wish to one day fight someone strong."_

_Shino had not once looked at the other two, remaining still and quickly stating his information as a monotone as possible. Kurenai sighed in relief and thought there might be some hope yet; at least until Kiba opened up his mouth again._

"_So what techniques can you guys use?"_

_Hinata hesitated in her answer, hoping and praying that her team would not think her stuck up or boisterous. "I-I use the B-Byakugan and the G-gentle F-fist style."_

_Kiba's eyes widened again and he stopped scratching Akamaru behind the ears. Shino remained still, but a faint buzzing could be heard coming from his person. Hinata braced herself for the insults, but none came._

"_That's cool Hinata, we can spar sometime." Kiba grinned, the red triangles on his cheeks becoming distended in his glee._

"_Yes, Hinata. I would like to test my jutsu against your fighting style." Shino's glasses glinted._

_Hinata smiled widely, unbelieving at their comments. "W-What about you Shino-kun?"_

_Shino was quiet for a second, contemplating. "I use my insects to help attack. They stay in my body and come out when I need them."_

_The squeals of fright or groans of disgust he expected never came. Instead, Hinata merely continued to smile, marveling at the fact and Kiba took it as nonchalantly as well…only Kiba could. _

"_AWESOME! That's kinda like me and Akamaru!"_

"_Does Akamaru live in your body?"_

"_What- NO!"_

_And Kurenai knew she had nothing to worry about._

* * *

Hinata smiled gently as she broke through the brush, nostalgia filling her as she finally reached Training Ground Eight. The tall trees had not changed and the clear bubbling of the stream could be heard. But added to that was the grunts of someone training, the deep barking of a dog, and the faint buzzing of…something. She stopped, afraid of the consequences of a reunion. _'I can't…not yet.'_

But before she could turn back, she heard an increase in excited barking, coming closer and closer to the tree she was perched in.

"What is it Akamaru?" Kiba sniffed the air, trying to catch a whiff of the intruder.

"My insects are humming. They know this chakra."

And at the same moment, Shino realized whose chakra it was and Kiba smelled the familiar scent of Hibiscus and cinnamon.

Hinata knew she was caught. Resignedly, she leapt from the leafy canopy and landed softly in front of her old teammates, her indigo hair streaming behind her. She look at them; her lilac eyes hesitant, apologetic, and brimming with turmoil.

"Hello Kiba-kun, Akamaru, and Shino-kun."

* * *

"_K-kiba-kun, Shino-kun, i-if we…i-if w-we don't-" Hinata muttered quietly, her hands grasping the ends of her flak jacket, scared that if she said what she wanted, it would come true._

_Kiba put a firm hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "Hinata. I know what you're going to say, and the answer is no."_

_She glanced up at him, not completely satisfied with the answer. "B-But.."_

"_Neither of us is going to die, got it. We've got each other's backs."_

_Shino looked over at the pair, curious as to why the conversation had even started. "Hinata, I agree with Kiba. Why do I believe him? Because we are Team Kurenai."_

"_W-What?" She asked confused. Kiba grinned and repeated._

"_Because we're Team Kurenai, we won't die, and we won't have to say all that mushy stuff, so just stop worrying and focus! We're here to protect Naruto and each other."_

_And Hinata found herself believing them. But just to make sure, she lightly grasped Kiba's hand on her shoulder and reached for the hem of Shino's jacket. Just to make sure._

_The trio stood together, in a rare moment of affection, rallying in the strength of each other to give them courage to what was ahead._

* * *

"You're here." It was all Kiba could manage, his hand seeking the warmth of Akamaru's bulk for support. The sound of his leather jacket resonated with his movement.

Shino remained mercifully silent, the only sound coming from him an agitated buzzing.

"I'm sorry." And all Hinata could do was a nod, her small smile slipping of her face as she waited for the onslaught. And she was not disappointed.

"Sorry…" Kiba repeated incredulously. He looked disbelieving from Shino's silent tall figure to the whining Akamaru. He laughed humorlessly. "Sorry…SORRY?!"

Hinata flinched, but never looked up from the ground. It felt disturbingly familiar, as if she had not changed. _'I'm tired of looking at the ground…but..'_

"Five freaking years! Five years and all you can say is SORRY!?" Kiba roared, letting loose all of the anger and pain and frustration of those years of not knowing. And inside, Shino felt just a bit better, letting his more expressive friend shout what he could not.

"Kib-"

"No. You didn't write, didn't even TRY TO CONTACT US!" He shouted, causing Akamaru to bark in alarm and Shino's insects to buzz further. His fists clenched and unclenched.

"I mean, we blamed it on Naruto, blamed it on your family, blamed on ourselves…" He trailed off, broken. And for once, his bright dark eyes were dull and they stared down at the new Hinata, fully taking in the changes.

Still so petite and seemingly delicate, her hip-length hair was now cut into flowing layers, and her eyes were still as large and as expressive as they were before. But before him stood the Hinata that had once been hidden behind layers of pain and insecurity, and even though she was looking down now, he could see. She was sorry, but she wasn't regretting what she had done. And it was the straightness of her spine and the lack of regret that made him brokenly state.

"You've changed."

For some reason, these words, the very opposite of what Naruto had told her, broke her and remade her, in ways she had not thought possible. These words made her long for times past when she was still shy, but a part of Team Kurenai. They also made her sure that she had made the right decision in not telling them or contacting them, because these two…they…

"You would have followed me." She finally looked up at the two tall boys. _'No they're men now.'_

Shino turned towards her more, the buzzing of the insects signaling his turmoil. His shift wordlessly spoke his question. _Explain._

"I don't regret leaving. If I had told you why or even where, you would have tracked me down and dragged me back."

She clenched her own fists. "And I couldn't tell you what or why even though there was so many times where I wanted to. So many letters that I started…"

Akamaru whined, torn between the trembling of his master's touch and the want to greet the long-absent Hinata. Shino's bugs had calmed and all was silent, except for the bubbling stream.

And through the tension, Hinata did not notice the approaching Shino. Only when a heavy hand was placed on her head did she notice. She looked at Shino's face, now uncovered except for rectangular dark sunglasses. He gave an encouraging nod, and Hinata let the tears fall, despite her earlier resolve in her tiny room at the inn.

Shino's gently hand was joined by a gentle nuzzling at her arm, Akamaru's large white head seeking to comfort.

And finally, resigned and pained, Kiba approached the small group, wrapping Hinata in a warm hug. Unexpectedly, she dove into his chest sobbing louder. Not everything was okay, and not everything was fixed or forgiven. But there in the middle of the sunny clearing, near a recently grown arbor vitae (2), Team Kurenai had been reunited.

And that was all that mattered.

* * *

A/N: Aww Team 8 reunion. No Naruhina yet. Sorry for the slow updates, but it was Thanksgiving weekend and finals week is coming up so I better start studying. Also more will be revealed in the next chapter! Thanks again to everyone who reviewed. There is a reason as to why Hinata would not contact them…so please be patient my lovelies!

Acacia tree- a yellow flowering tree- friendship

Arbor vitae- a cypress like deciduous tree- unchanging friendship


	12. Explanations

_Tenten looked over at her quiet traveling companion, taken aback by the sudden changes in the past weeks. The much shorter hair took her back to days of youth; days when _he_ was still with them. Her legs brushed past the maidenhair ferns (1) adorning the sides of the narrow path, the moon hardly illuminating the way._

"_Thank you Tenten-san."_

"_For what, Hinata-chan?"_

_Hinata remained quiet, contemplating and struggling with her turmoil. Tenten saw this and attempted to lighten the mood. _

"_Ne, It's kind of like we're on an adventure."_

_Hinata glanced at Tenten, shocked at the older girl's blasé attitude on the entire situation. _

"_I'm s-sorry for the trouble…"_

"_Ehh! Don't be! It's a mission, so I still get paid, and it's only till you reach your first country, and…" _

_Tenten trailed off, realizing that no matter what she said, it could not help the Hyuuga's mood right now. And so she settled for the true reason for her presence._

"_Besides, Neji would have wanted me to make sure you were okay." She smiled tightly, the aching in her chest flaring slightly at the reminder that he was no longer here. Hinata's gaze widened at the confession, but remained quiet. The two girls continued their journey in silence._

* * *

The sun streamed in through the wide glass windows, illuminating a frustrated Hokage. Tsunade huffed as she leafed through the masses of manila folders; only a small portion of the five years' worth of reports from one Hinata Hyuuga.

'_Where is that damn Kusagakure file?'_

It was times like this when she missed having Shizune's constant presence. But alas, even apprentices needed to grow and explore their own path. Tsunade knew that and had increasingly pushed Shizune and Sakura into their medical responsibilities. The years since the Fourth Shinobi World War had hardened them; made them keenly aware of the importance of their roles as medic-nin, and had subsequently resulted in Tsunade's complete faith in their abilities to run the Konoha Hospital.

And so her students had grown into their own, both so involved with the running of the medical program of the village, that she did not see them as often as before. And her current successor was far from the most organized person, so he didn't help at all in that matter.

'_Not to mention I hid these files from him, so…'_

And so that was why the accumulated reports of Hinata's travels had been haphazardly bundled together after their initial review, and locked away within a top secret vault; protecting valuable information of Konoha's dealings with its allies and fellow Hidden Villages.

"Ahah!" Exclaimed the busty Hokage as she finally located the particular file. She quickly withdrew it from its lopsided pile, and opened it to the first page; a summary of the negotiation of a large trade agreement between Konoha and the mysterious Kusagakure.

She quickly scanned the preliminary info, noting that it had been a good three years since the meeting had taken place. The small, neat handwriting almost rang with the polite tones of her little ambassador.

_Difficulties arose due to dissidence between several represented factions of the village. Certain compromises were made, listed in the recorded agreement below. Negotiations lasted for a total of three days, culminating in the aforementioned accord. A copy was sent immediately to Hokage Tsunade Senju after the resolution. _

_Further talks with the Head Ninja of Kusagakure hinted at possible aid in the repair of Kannabi Bridge as a show of good faith. Ambassador Hinata Hyuuga left this option open, citing the need to further consult the Hokage. _

_End Report Summary_

Tsunade recalled the constant arrival of several seabirds those few days; each carrying intricately sealed pages and pages of reports and updates. (It had taken several hours to unravel the complicated seals and several days to clean the birds' droppings on the windows.)

How Hinata had managed to even complete the initial negotiations with this tentative ally was beyond her. At that thought, Tsunade smiled gently, a warm pride filling her at the growth and backbone shown by one of her own kunoichi. Hinata was far from the only ambassador of the Leaf, but she had been one of the best at what she did and was the most well-traveled of the Diplomacy Corps. And to accomplish what she had done under her special circumstances, well that had been, surprising to say the least.

Tsunade quickly pulled out a second folder, this one detailing a mission request from the very same Kusagakure. She glanced at the title.

_Request for Aid in Construction of Kannabi Bridge- Security Detail Needed (Contingent) B-Rank_

She quickly stood up and strode to the file cabinets adjacent to her desk, formed a hand sign, and gently touched the knob of the drawer, placing a small amount of chakra into the special security mechanism. It opened with a satisfying click, and she retrieved four folders in quick succession, knowing exactly what she wanted.

"Genma!"

A tall shinobi with a blue bandana, shrewd brown eyes and the constant presence of a toothpick in his mouth appeared at the door of the office.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama?"

"Summon these three to me, please. It's not urgent, but give them a 24 hour time span to report. I want them here tomorrow. "

She quickly handed him a stack of three files, all belonging to the team to be sent on this new mission.

"This first one must report here immediately though." She placed a fourth manila folder at the top of his stack. He quickly nodded his understanding and turned to leave. As he departed, he saw her rub her temples in frustration, and knew that this team would make her day a bit harder and her temper a lot more explosive.

'_I should have taken a sick day.' _He mused regretfully, as he absently glanced at the name on the top folder; Hyuuga Hinata.

* * *

_Genma Shiranui was not an easily surprised person. But when the Hyuuga eldest had shown up an hour before dawn at the entrance of the Hokage's office, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the situation. The small girl was certainly in a hurry, her high voice requesting entrance in hushed tones. Her cream colored kimono with the Hyuuga symbol was rumpled and stained, and her movements were somewhat awkward and stiff. She held one hand to her right eye, gingerly covering the temple area, strands of hair poking through her fingers._

"_P-please, I need to speak with Tsunade-sama."_

"_State your purpose Hyuuga-san."_

"_It's for m-medical purposes." She replied earnestly, pleadingly gazing at the ninja with the blue banadana._

_He thoughtfully chewed on the toothpick in his mouth. Why she didn't simply report to the hospital was beyond him. Genma considered the circumstances and concluded that the delicacy of optical injuries in a Hyuuga was trusted to no one but the most elite of medical professionals, and so he nodded his assent, and allowed her to enter._

_His gaze followed her quick movements as she navigated the hall to finally tentatively knock on the Hokage's office, her long hair trailed behind her. _

'_Tsunade's probably napping right now.' He thought. He was therefore unsurprised when a delayed and groggy response echoed from behind the door, asking the little Hyuuga to enter._

_The door closed, and he heard no more of the exchange._

* * *

Hinata gently knocked on the Hokage door, repeating the same actions she had done countless times before. It had been a while since she had answered a traditional Hokage's summons from the village. It was oddly nostalgic.

The summons had come at an impromptu time, interrupting a small lunch that Team 8 had planned at the Dango shop. Shino had silently nodded his understanding, while Kiba loudly complained of Tsunade's bad timing. Hinata had smiled at their familiar antics, and with a tense hesitation promised that she would cook them a meal to make up for it. Their reactions were worth the effort, and she hoped that this was a right step in regaining their estranged friendship.

Then again, she would need to do a lot of that in the next few days. A pang of guilt shot through her as she remembered her confrontation with Naruto. She would apologize, today. His accusations were justified, but still…_'You haven't changed.'_

It had echoed in her head for days, refusing to leave her alone and for the first time, she felt angry at him. She had worked so hard, who was he to judge. Her fists unknowingly clenched, and her face turned red in frustration.

'_I won't run away anymore, I'll do it today.'_

Her attention was recalled when a gruff 'Come in' was heard. She entered the brightly lit room, wondering as to why she was called in the first place.

"Good afternoon, Tsunade-sama." She chirped, buoyed by the happiness from her earlier Team 8 luncheon.

Tsunade sedately smiled, acknowledging the girl's greeting and laced her fingers together, showing she was ready for business. Hinata herself stood straight, her hands clasped in front, waiting for orders.

"Let's get straight to the point then. You're report on the Capital was exceptionally thorough and I have recently met with the Daimyo to discuss the concerns you addressed several weeks back. You have no need to further worry on the status of them."

Hinata sighed in relief, glad that her abrupt departure had not resulted in an incomplete diplomatic assignment. "Thank you, Tsunade-sama."

"However, you're personal monthly health report is incomplete."

At this Hinata looked up ashamed, and her once prevalent blush graced her face. "E-Um..that is to say that-"

"I understand that because this particular assignment was so time consuming, you may have forgotten. However, those monthly checkups were part of our deal." Tsunade sternly said, her mouth turning down in a concerned frown.

"I apologize Tsunade-sama." Hinata ducked her head slightly.

"It's for your own good Hinata-chan." The Hokage gently amended, knowing that it was partly her own fault for summoning the girl so abruptly from her assignment.

Hinata looked up, warmed by the concern shining in her leader's gaze. "Thank you again Tsunade-sama. I'm so grateful…for everything."

Tsunade continued to smile gently, and then quickly turned serious. "But because you skipped last month's health report, I summoned you here so that I could personally examine you."

Hinata sighed; all hopes of returning to Kiba and Shino for lunch dashed.

* * *

_A sleepy Tsunade was not a happy one. To be woken up from her deep nap on the oddly comfortable office chair was not something she enjoyed. Her annoyance was such, that she felt some latent form of sympathy for whoever was about to enter. Just a twinge._

_Her peeved attitude deflated a bit after catching sight of her pitiful visitor. An oddly disheveled Hyuuga Hinata stood in front of her, a cream colored kimono adorning her small frame and a trembling hand covering her right eye._

"_Hinata-chan? What happened?" She asked concerned. _

_Hinata stared with one eye wide open, unknowing of what to do next. It took several moments for her to respond. "M-my eye is…"_

_She dropped her right hand exposing the surrounding area. Her lilac iris seemed somewhat darker; the waist length hair that had once framed her face was choppy and dry, almost as if it had been burned off. Most shocking was the large patch of red blossoming across the pale skin of her temple._

_Tsunade immediately stood up, rapidly approaching the frozen girl and quickly performed the Mystical Palm technique, her hand glowed green and she began scanning the injured area._

_Hinata sighed as she felt the gentle relief that the jutsu provided._

"_Hinata, what happened?" Tsunade asked more firmly this time._

_The girl debated with her answer, tugging at the Hyuuga crest embroidered upon the cream colored robes. And for the first time, Tsunade recognized the significance of her attire; these were the clan leader's color and crest. Her eyes widened in awe, wondering at the drastic turn of events._

"_You've reclaimed your title?"_

_Hinata quietly nodded, a surprisingly fierce look of pride crossed her face before dissolving into a wince. _

"_I-I won it back. Things should be okay for now…" She trailed off vaguely, and still dazed._

"_When?"_

"_Two hours ago, Tsunade-sama. I quickly put on the robes they gave me, and snuck out." Hinata winced once more as the gentle chakra probed a particularly sensitive spot, somewhere bind her right eyeball. _

"_They didn't question your injury?"_

"_It w-wasn't this b-bad to start with. I tried to heal it a bit myself, but…"_

_Tsunade stopped the jutsu, her face falling in despair. She quickly regained her composure and stepped at least seven feet away from the girl. Hinata understood to stay where she was. _

"_Can you see how many fingers I'm holding up?"_

"_Umm…T-two..uh wait…three." Hinata attempted to squint, giving up as soon as she even moved the tiniest muscle in her eye. Tsunade continued to test the sight in both eyes, each question resulting in more dismal results._

"_Hinata…" She was unsure where to start with the diagnosis._

"_Just tell me Tsunade-sama." The unusually calm girl stated; her face blank of expression._

"_I-It seems like a combination of a blunt force injury and internal damage caused by chakra insertion. Your optical neurons on the right side have suffered severe damage and it seems that the chakra reached far enough to affect the neurons of your left eye as well."_

"_I-Is it permanent?" She gestured lightly towards her eyes, indicating the blurriness._

_Tsunade struggled to maintain a clinical demeanor; physicians were not to appear hesitant or over emotional, it could negatively affect their patients._

"_It's difficult to say at this stage, Hinata. Neurons are some of the few cells that do not regenerate. However some or most of the blurriness may be due to inflammation of the affected area and minor burst blood vessels. Your retina has remained intact and the discoloration is simply bruising."_

_Hinata paled, shaking at the thought of all that losing her sight would entail. Everything she was as a shinobi was centered around her eyes. She had worked so hard, so much just to train her eyes to see what others couldn't. She had pushed herself and so much rided upon her ability to see; not just her career but her position as heiress and what she wanted to accomplish within her family. But now…_

_Tsunade was at a loss. Right now, she could not give a full diagnosis until the surrounding damage was healed. It was a delicate process, being so near the brain and other major blood vessels. It would take hours. Hours that she was damn well going to work to fix this mess. She placed a firm hand on the smaller kunoichi's shoulder, firmly squeezing it._

"_I promise you, Hinata-chan, will figure this out. And you have Na-"_

"_No!"_

_Tsunade was shocked by the vehement interruption. She continued to hold the shaking girl's shoulder, hoping to offer some sort of comfort._

_Hinata, for her part, couldn't see her dear Hokage, and whether it was due to the now falling tears or her vision leaving her, she didn't know._

* * *

It was early evening by the time Hinata had returned to her room. After the vigorous check up by Tsunade-sama, she had gone to train for approximately three hours, then to buy some groceries, realizing that she had mostly been eating at restaurants the past few days and that her funds were running a bit low, due to the incident with the farmers. But she didn't regret it one bit.

Besides she would hopefully receive payment for the assignment in the capital.

She quickly stored the perishable food into the small refrigerator brought up at her request, removing three of her fresh raspberries(2) from the container. She began snacking on them to bait her hunger, hoping to have a proper meal after.

After finishing her snack, she collapsed onto her bed. Weary and nervous, she was not looking forward to the rest of her night. _'I have to go find him.'_

As if on cue, a knock resounded on her door. Thinking it might be Kiba or Shino, she swiftly rushed to open it and was surprised as she saw a flash of blond hair and hard blue eyes. Her eyes widened exponentially.

"Naruto-san?"

* * *

A/N: Hehe don't expect an easy reconciliation…

Maiden fern- discretion

Raspberry- remorse

Hopefully this chapter explained a bit more on what happened. It's very long and mostly exposition, but it was needed to explain a few things. Number one being the idea that Hinata had no contact with the Hokage at all in the last few years was wrong. It would not make sense for an ambassador to have no contact with their home country. Also it is not necessary for an ambassador to constantly return home, as evidenced by the way modern day ambassadors stay within the country they work with long term.

Number 2, Tenten is one of the few that knew what happened, and three there's a reason that Hinata was unable to contact anyone and in a way, it may have been cowardly and selfish from one perspective, but at the time, Hinata did what she thought was right.

Also, I hope to show more of Hinata's travels or at least the repercussions, friendships and effects of what she accomplished on her mission. There were hints on this chapter of what she could do…something to do with the letters she sent…

Again, thank you for everyone who reviewed last chapter and I promise I'll try and update quickly, seeing as I'm done with finals.

Final note: (Sorry it's very long this time) Kannabi bridge is the same bridge destroyed by Team Minato during the Third Shinobu War…


	13. Inebriated

I do not own Naruto. Also thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter; including Ayrmed, Futago-za07, YourDoom, mikoto lee, kavya, TL, veraozao, narujordanna, kenni no. 1, Yung Hime, and Sapphire Blizzard.

On with the chapter.

**Inebriated**

NiKoShi Bar was housed in a fairly new establishment, but its roots went all the way back to the days of the First Hokage. It was a comfy place, filled with plush booths and cherry wood tables and bar. The staff was friendly, sympathetic and patient, traits needed to deal with impatient children and drunk-off-their-asses adults alike.

The odd name came from an abbreviation of its strange motto; "23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds, every day." And its owner, Kenji Hatsumoto held tight to that promise, keeping his bar/restaurant open all day. It had become a popular family restaurant during daylight hours and a warm, lively bar from dusk up until the wee hours of the morning.

Kenji was an old man, having worked in this business for nearly thirty five years. And though he was hardly ever fazed by his clientele, this particular night had his bushy white eyebrows shooting up.

It was five in the afternoon, and the first influx of bar customers had already begun. What startled Kenji was the shock of yellow hair and bright grin of Konoha's future Hokage, accompanied by the dark haired former Hokage contestant. Both dressed in torn dark pants and smudged shirts, they both looked worse for the wear. _'Probably training.'_

They made their way towards the barstools, silently taking in the environment. Sasuke announced his choice of drink to the waiting Kenji. It was very surprising. These two generally avoided places like this like the plague, mainly because of-

"Oh my, look who's here?" purred a sultry voice. The two young men turned their gazes towards the auburn haired female, her slightly slurred flirtation losing its effect.

She was pretty with half-lidded dark eyes and a slim physique. But Sasuke could care less and ignored her, turning his attention back to the glass of claret colored beverage placed in front of him. Naruto on the other hand, ever the pleasant person, grinned widely and waved. He then turned his back to the startled girl, turning to greet a smiling Kenji.

"Hey, Kenji. Glad to see you're doing okay."

"Naruto! Fancy seeing you here! I thought you didn't drink." Kenji stated bluntly.

He missed Naruto's slight wince and cheerily waved off any explanations the young man had tried to sputter out. "What can I getcha? What about Jiraiya-sama's old favorite?"

Naruto quieted for a bit, a nostalgic smile coming to his face. "Yeah, sure. That would be great."

Kenji nodded the affirmative keeping to his 'don't ask, don't tell' policy. He had learned that sometimes the best thing to do was not speak and he kept to that, still keeping an open ear and patient mind in case anyone was ever ready to vent.

While Kenji went towards the back to retrieve the ever classic Land of Fire sake, Naruto turned his attention towards his taciturn friend and clapped him on the back. Sasuke nearly spit out his drink from the deliberately impactful gesture; almost.

"Thanks for coming Sasuke!"

The Uchiha could only glare at his overly loud 'best friend', and silently vowed to find a jutsu that would quiet him, at least temporarily.

"Whatever."

"What's that you're drinking anyway?"

"…"

Kenji walked back and answered in Sasuke's stead. "Hibiscus infused red wine."

He quickly placed a small saucer in front of Naruto and poured a small amount of the clear sake. Naruto however had maintained a wide-eyed stare at his friend, eyes shifting between Sasuke and the red wine, trying to reconcile the coincidence. Deciding it probably was nothing; he grabbed his own cup and gulped down the drink, unaffected by the burning of alcohol.

Sasuke spoke up, cautioning. "Don't drink so fast, idiot."

Naruto turned towards his friend, a mock puppy face forming and lips pouting. "Aww, Sasuke, you do care."

Sasuke slapped him upside the head, wondering at the fact that this was the guy he had entrusted his brother's precious dream to. _'This is the guy that's supposed to lead all of us.' _A miniscule smile began, looking at the grinning idiot rub his aching head.

"_If you attack Konoha, I will have to fight you… So save up your hatred. I will shoulder your hatred and die with you! Because I'm your friend!"_

Thank whoever it had not come to that, but still the feeling was there, and it was this person who would carry on all their dreams.

"You'll do."

"Huh? Did you say something Sasuke-teme?"

Another resounding smack was heard.

"OWW! WHAT THE HELL?!"

Sasuke ignored Naruto's cries and looked him dead on.

"Now talk."

* * *

_Hinata gave a shallow bow to the guards, her short hair swinging with the movement. Here she was exiting the gates of the Land of Vegetables. The gray patchy clouds drifted lazily, mirrored in the numerous puddles of the hilly terrain. The drizzling rain seemed to echo her bittersweet goodbye to the familiar region. It had been nice seeing Haruna-sama again, but the queries as to how Naruto was doing made the experience slightly painful. _

_Shouldering her pack, she swiftly leapt out into the open path between the numerous fields, filled with a sense of accomplishment. This had been her second diplomatic assignment, successfully completed all on her own. That was not the only thing that had her celebrating. She quickly searched in her flak jacket's numerous pockets, finally locating a crumpled piece of paper. It was blank, except for marks of water damage splayed across its surface. She smiled fondly at the thing. _

_It looked like junk._

_This chakra paper was a dime a dozen (okay, so maybe it was slightly more expensive than that), but to her it was more. She gently returned the paper to her pocket, and contentedly patted her pack, smiling at the heavy scroll felt within. 'What a nice gift from Haruna-sama.'_

_Seeing that she was a good ways away from the village and into the forest, she decided to test one of the new jutsu from the scroll. Her eyes narrowed in concentration. She fought the instinctual activation of the Byakugan, it wouldn't do to cause herself pain if not necessary. Glancing to her left through the light drizzle, she brightened at the sight of a small stream bordered by water willows. (1) _

_She quickly divested herself of her sandals, relishing in the coolness of the damp earth. Lightly leaping off the path, she landed gracefully in the middle of the water, balancing effortlessly with all the Hyuuga poise. It brought back memories of Gentle Fist Training on water, using pure chakra control to shape the water. This technique would be different, actually allowing her water affinity chakra to become part of the liquid, moving with it instead of controlling it._

_And she began the hand signs, petite fingers fumbling through them. _

"_T-tiger-dog-monkey…" She muttered out loud, keeping her concentration on running her chakra through the moving water under her bare feet. Just when she felt the right amount build up, she called it to her, activating the technique._

"_Water-Heavens Convergence!"_

_And it was a sight to behold. Spheres of all sizes rose from the stream, surrounding Hinata in an intricate dance, their shapes wobbling in her inexperience. Despite this, she marveled at the successful execution, admiring as the filtered sunlight played on the changing surfaces of the orbs. Her concentration broke, and the water plopped down, drenching her. _

_She stood for a moment on the water, surprised. She relished the sensation of her newfound abilities, almost as if the water were cleansing her very core. And then with the sun shining and her entire being humming with energy and fluidity, she laughed. A full hearted, tinkling laugh that scared the neighboring ducks and the sleepy turtles. _

_And still laughing, she ran on the water's surface, following its downstream course to her next destination. Her arms were spread out behind her, like a bird's wings. She channeled chakra into the soles of her feet, unknowingly leaving a glittering trail of water spheres in her wake. She continued, not stopping even when she started feeling tired. She was too punch-drunk on freedom to notice. Witnesses later told stories of a beautiful water sprite haunting the forest._

_As for Hinata, it wasn't until she reached the next city that she realized she had forgotten her shoes._

* * *

"…and then see says that, and all could I shay was THIS…then she laft." Slurred a red faced Naruto Uzumaki. His eyes were unfocused and cheeks reddened. But that was to be expected seeing as this was his 45th round of sake. When later asked about his alcoholic tolerance, Naruto would be heard muttering something about Kurama getting drunk too. But right now, he was too busy telling (or at least attempting to) Sasuke (more like everyone at the bar) his encounter with the newly returned Hyuuga heiress.

Sometime in the middle of their merry drinking, a curious Rock Lee and Choji had joined in. Both were very eager to hear about this new Hinata-chan and learn what really went on before she left. Alas, Naruto was surprisingly taciturn on that particular point in time.

At hearing various speculations as to her adventures and surmising on what new strengths she may have gained, Lee excitedly jumped off the stool and raised his glass, spilling his water everywhere.

"SHE SHINES WITH YOUTH!"

The semi-crowded bar grew silent, before noticing that it was simply Lee and his usual self. They all turned back to their previous business, this time slightly louder in order to drown out any more exuberant displays from Lee or their future Hokage.

Choji quietly ate the complementary nuts, aware that would not be enough. "It kinda sounds like you feel guilty, Naruto."

Sasuke had been simply nursing his drink; this was his second glass. Naruto slumped over in defeat, muttering so that only Sasuke heard, "She needed to stand on her own."

A drunken Naruto was not a smart Naruto, but he could surprisingly be the most honest and observant. And Sasuke knew that his friend was truly troubled by the intriguing girl.

He was then startled when Lee thoughtfully slurred. "I wonder if th-hic-training I gave hurr helped on her mishuun.."

Sasuke looked up surprised at Lee's comment only to find him sniffing at Naruto's discarded cup, lightly smacking his lips at the bitter aftertaste.

'_Shit.'_

It took a full twenty minutes to restrain Lee. His Loopy Fist had caused irreparable damage to the beautiful mahogany bar and he had broken several expensive bottles of imported drinks. By the time Choji had used his expansion jutsu and Naruto's drunken shadow clones had nearly joined Lee in a youthful spar, Sasuke had to use his Sharingan to daze the drunken martial artist and gave his unconscious body to Choji. Kenji was petrified but left with a pitiful IOU note, stating that Guy-sensei would pay for any damage.

Then Sasuke let the semi coherent Naruto lean on his shoulder, and began the journey to drop off his future Hokage, all hope of avoiding a scandal thrown out the window. He passed by a small clutch of milk vetch herbs, their thick stalks outlined by the light of lanterns. (2)

* * *

_A figure in a green vest and indigo hair stood in the middle of the green field, the small multilayered buds of moschatel (3) shrubs swayed in the light breeze. She faced the slightly imposing figure across the field, his bright coloring a contrast to her dark ensemble._

_Hinata was in a daze. This could not be real. She quickly pinched herself to make sure, and glanced up at the tall blond in front of her. She blushed when she caught his glance, and looked away again. She had to be strong right now! _

"_Ready Hinata-chan?"_

_Her stomach flipped at the added suffix. She could almost fly._

"_Y-yes!"_

_Naruto smiled at her adorable eagerness, still somewhat hesitant to spar this delicate creature. She had asked several times, and each time he had made an excuse, not wanting to hurt her. She was just too…nice to hurt._

"_Alright!" He quickly performed a necessary hand sign and shouted "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"_

_She shifted into the standard Hyuuga stance, her waist length hair swaying in the light breeze created by the sudden existence of dozens of Narutos. She frowned. 'I've seen him use way more than that when he fights the others.'_

_She shrugged it off as maybe a tactical decision, and began spreading her chakra, allowing it to coat her arms and she felt the automatic activation of her Byakugan. She waited for his attack. _

_And here he came. Was it just her, or was he going considerably slower?_

_She easily dodged his weak aim, and then the subsequent attacks by the multiple clones. She hadn't missed a single one, and with precision attacks and no significant drainage of chakra, she had him down to only two in fifteen minutes. _

_A flash in the back of her alerted her to an emerging shadow clone from underneath. A graceful leap, and she avoided that one, finally grazing the original's tenkutsu on his arm._

_He threw a punch. It made contact, but the impact was nothing, nothing like what she had seen him use when fighting Sasuke, Lee, or even Sakura._

'_What's going on?' She thought, and quickly ended the spar, one quick dispatching the last clone and two fingers pointed at Naruto's throat. Her eyes were fierce, somewhat peeved at the levity of this practice._

"_Wow! Hinata-chan that was awesome! You've gotten so strong!" He grinned, genuinely impressed with her skill. He knew she had many more jutsu up her sleeve, but he just couldn't continue._

_She lowered her hand, and glanced at the grinning blonde, his bright hair matching his orange jacket. _

"_C-can we spar again, Naruto-kun?" She asked, hoping to prove herself further. She grabbed the hem of her flak jacket nervously._

_He rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed. "I'm sorry Hinata-chan! I have to uhh go do something for the Hokage candidacy paperwork, and Sakura was gonna help me because…"_

_He trailed off, aware of the sinking expression on the petite girl. He patted her head. "You're strong, Hinata, believe in that."_

_She looked up at him, earnestly believing in the confidence in his gaze and the sincere tone of his compliment. She felt the butterflies rise and the happiness that only Naruto could give her buoyed her spirit._

"_Thank you Naruto-kun." She beamed at him, and he looked away, blushing._

"_UH-Err, I'll see t-tomorrow you at Ichari-I mean Ichiraku's?" He asked nervously, surprised at his overblown reaction to seeing her smile._

"_O-of course."_

_He quickly waved goodbye, grinning and leapt away towards the main street, leaving Hinata alone. _

_And despite that happy exchange, she could not stave off the creeping feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt, and an undercurrent of jealousy. Her eyes widened. __'Jealousy?' Why was it she could only be her best self when it involved Naruto? __Why couldn't she stand on her own?_

_And with that Hinata returned to the increasing turmoil hidden behind the tall Hyuuga walls._

* * *

Naruto was slightly more alert, awakened by the chill mid-evening air and the uncomfortable jabbing of Sasuke's shoulder bone into his arm. As he leaned on his friend, he had the clarity to ask what had been bothering him.

"What did she mean?"

Sasuke stopped and let go of his friend, as they had finally arrived in front of Naruto's apartment complex. He watched as the drunken man slumped against the gate at the entrance, truly confused and lost.

He then answered. "She meant to get stronger, idiot."

Naruto's brows furrowed as he registered the statement. "But why leave m-us?

And Sasuke's subsequent reply suddenly put everything into perspective. "Didn't we do the same thing?"

Naruto did not speak another word after, too caught up in his thoughts to notice Sasuke leaving or to even realize he had made it back to his apartment. He decided to put on his nightcap and have a nightcap. (He inwardly chuckled at his lame pun.)

He stared at the open book on his table, displaying the Hibiscus. And somewhere in between undressing himself down to orange boxers, putting on the penguin hat, and downing half a shot glass of…something, he jolted. Struck by a realization, he raced out the door, not bothering with anything unimportant, like say clothes or common decency.

* * *

Hinata had been comfortably settled into her bed, thinking of how to apologize to someone you were angry at when the knock came at around 8:00 pm. She swiftly opened the door and let out a small gasp.

"Naruto-san?"

There stood the Hokage's successor in all his glory. (Or at least as glorious as he could be dressed in a penguin nightcap and orange boxers.) Hinata stood, torn between screaming in consternation or enjoying the fine view of his finely sculpt- _'Bad Hinata!'_

Despite his state of undress, he was not in the least embarrassed and Hinata could not help but marvel at his audacity. First he insulted her, and then he showed up uninvited in such a manner. Before she could tell him off, his voice interrupted.

"Show me." His eyes seemed clear and focused, but she caught a whiff of alcohol. _'_

"Are you drunk Naruto-san?" She asked concerned. Angry or not, he was still a comrade and her future leader, so she would show the due care. Her lavender eyes widened as he braced his arms against the door frame, his large frame taking up all the space. (She vaguely noted that she barely even reached his shoulder.) He leaned forward, unaware of the increasingly flustered girl now staring at his chest.

"Show me that you can stand on your own." He restated, firmly, encroaching further upon her personal space. He was drawn unknowingly closer by the flowery scent permeating her very self.

Hinata leaned away, eyes widening at this ridiculous predicament. _'What does he mean?'_

Then his eyes hardened and he stood straight, almost as if he had realized where he was. _'Was I wrong?'_

As he turned his back, he was stopped by a quiet reply.

"Tomorrow, 8 am, Training ground four."

Then the door neatly clicked shut, leaving a slightly more awake Naruto in the hall, regretful at the disappearance of the flowery scent.

* * *

a/n: And now we get into the crux of their relationship. Hopefully this chapter delved a little into their thought processes a bit more.

1-water willow- freedom

2- milk vetch- your presence softens my pains

3- moschatel- weak but winning

Running theme of this chapter, drunkenness of different sorts

Also, fun fact about NiKoShi Bar, it's actually a derivative of the Japanese pronunciation of 23564, which is a Goroawase pun meaning "killing one's brother." A fun little jab at Sasuke's past obsession on my part…

I debated with what affinity to make Hinata, but water seemed to be the most obvious choice due to her natural fluidity and chakra control. I thought it suited her very well. Also I feel as if I have been placing too much emphasis on Hinata, which I understand is important, but if anyone feels like I need to explore more of the characters please let me know.


	14. Intricacies

**Intricacies **

"What on earth did I just agree to?" Hinata mused once the door had been shut. Fully realizing she had agreed to spar a now Kage-level shinobi, she wondered at her own sanity. She needed to talk to someone. But it was getting late and as she glanced out her window, she could see the orange hues of the setting sun transition to the dark purples of late evening. The shadows in her tiny room lengthened as the light decreased. Who would want to meet up at this hour?

A heart shaped face with luxurious raven hair and warm red eyes…_'Kurenai-sensei…' _ Hinata felt a pang of guilt. She had yet to confront her old teacher. Because that would be very hard to bear…even more so than her encounter with Kiba and Shino, and because Hinata knew that was when everything would come out. So that left…

'_Kiba has a clan meeting and Shino is on a mission…so who?'_

"Ahah! I just need someone who can help deliver a message." She concluded.

She quickly opened the door and peeked into the hallway, making sure that her visitor had gone, Hinata quickly pricked her finger with a tiny needle, allowing a small drop of blood to blossom. She looked down at the light wooden floor, wondering if it was okay to perform a summoning on it. A flash of hard blue eyes and a bare chested form had her further flustered. And maybe it was because of this that she put a little too much chakra into her technique.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

She admired the intricate details of the seal spreading and spiraling on her room's floor, only to be obscured by a poof of smoke. She waved her hand in front of her to clear the air and her lungs.

As the smoke cleared, the kneeling girl caught sight of a slim avian form; its wings flapped to clear the residual smoke, and Hinata marveled at the iridescent plumage, the colors shifting between hues of jet black and midnight blue. The long neck craned towards its summoner, a shining crown of onyx upon its thin head. White patches framed large black eyes as they narrowed in annoyance.

'_Oh dear.' _Hinata thought. She had inadvertently summoned the Cormorant Princess, one of the most difficult of seabirds.

"Hinata-chan, what have I said about summoning me for common use?" A tinkling voice declared, falsely sweet.

Hinata quickly ducked her head, using her diplomatic skills to appease the dignitary fowl. (Actually more like using self-preservation instincts.) She cringed slightly at the sight of the long sharp beak clicking in impatience.

"Ah, I'm sorry Umui-hime. I didn't mean to summon you."

The bird princess reared back her head, affronted that she had been brushed off as an accident.

"Did not mean to summon me?!" Her voice grew shrill, and Hinata knew she had slipped up.

"Ah no! It's not like that Umui-hime! I simply did not want to trouble you with a task as menial as giving a message to someone in the village."

Somewhat mollified, Umui turned towards the slightly bowed girl. "Indeed."

Hinata inwardly smiled and began her maneuver. "Besides, it's simply not a task fit for a delicate and fragile beauty such as you, Umui-hime."

The large cormorant turned tapped one webbed foot, indignant. "Well of course it is a commoner's task, but that does not mean that I am too weak to accomplish it!"

'_Bingo!' _Hinata thought and knew the princess was trapped. "Oh no! I wouldn't want to-"

"Nonsense! Give me the message, I will deliver it." Umui preened, the crown of onyx glittering in the pale light of the room.

"Ah! Thank you so much Umui-hime! Please tell Tenten-san that I would like to meet her for drinks in ten minutes at the ChaShayChai teahouse."

"And if she cannot?"

"Then it's fine. I will not inconvenience you further. She'll find a way to communicate with me."

"I am off then, also Alba-kun sends his greetings." And the bird spread her large, dark wings gliding towards the open window.

"Thank you again!"

Umui turned back and nodded at the sweet (or so she thought) Hyuuga heiress. "It is nothing Hinata-chan, after all what's a favor between princesses?"

And with that she flew out, leaving a bemused Hinata, blushing from the indirect compliment.

* * *

Tenten ambled along the busy main streets of Konoha, the shopping district still alive with customers of all kinds, even this late in the evening. She stuffed her hands in her beige cardigan, wishing for spring. But still, it was girls' night out. She glanced over at her companions, wondering how they could handle such chilly weather.

"Hey Tenten, why are you so quiet today?" Asked a bubbly Ino, tugging at her fitted purple striped long sleeve to fit properly. Her blue eyes widening questioningly.

"Huh? Just thinking about something that's all."

Sakura looked at the pair. She had not even noticed that Tenten was unusually quiet. She had been too caught up in Ino's gossip to notice.

"Man troubles?" She offered, beating Ino to the punch. A smile appeared on her face as Ino frowned at that. Sakura smugly smoothed down her red hooded sweater and fluffed her cotton candy hair.

Ino scoffed. "You're one to talk 'Suck-ura'." The teasing smile dancing on her mouth enraged the pink haired woman.

"Ino, you perverted pig! At least I get dates, and I don't have to dress like a streetwalker to get them!" She vaguely gestured towards Ino's bottom half, consisting of very tiny black shorts, and thigh high boots.

The two continued to argue, drawing unwanted attention from others. Tenten laughed. Though they might insult each other, she knew that in a couple of seconds they would be giggling and snorting again. _'3,2,1…'_

A loud bird-likw honking was heard from behind. Tenten turned towards the other two.

"Wow, when you guys laugh it sounds like a dying goose or something."

Sakura and Ino stopped mid-argument, both shocked at the statement. The honking sound repeated itself, and this time all three noticed it came from above. A dark slim bird flew over, skimming the tops of the red lanterns placed here and there. Others in the street followed its path. The trio could just make out the glittering something on its head.

"Umiu-hime!" Tenten recognized the bird from an earlier time.

"What?" Sakura and Ino asked simultaneously still peeved at being compared to dying geese.

The bird gracefully swept down towards them, only stumbling slightly at the dry landing. Tenten quickly waved away the gathering crowd. "Nothing to see here! Move along please!"

She then slipped into a semi-hidden side of a building, the light of the lamps not quite reaching it. Umiu quickly glided towards her and Ino and Sakura followed, bewildered.

"Good evening Tenten-chan," Umiu said politely nodding.

"Ah! Umiu-hime, long time no see. These two are Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka."

Both girls had glanced at each other, each silently mouthing the word 'hime' questioningly.

Umiu's gaze swept over the two, judging and calculating. She had heard about them from other summons. Katsuyu, that over paranoid slug, could not stop praising the pink haired one. When the startled girls finally waved, small hesitant smiles forming, Umiu finished her assessment. They were passable. Both visibly relaxed, sensing that this large cormorant was kind of like them.

"Good evening Yamanaka-san and Haruno-san."

She turned back towards Tenten, quickly relaying what Hinata had told her. Tenten smiled brightly, finally getting the chance to speak in person to her petite pen pal of sorts. She knew Hinata would need time to adjust and fix things here, and so she had not pushed the issue. But at last, three days after her arrival, here Hinata was arranging the meeting.

"ChaShayChai teahouse? That's right around the corner!" Tenten clapped excitedly. Sakura and Ino were filled with a new sense of curiosity, their inner gossips yearning to be fed.

"Thank you, Umiu-hime!" Tenten bowed her head slightly, showing the desired respect towards the bird.

Umiu fondly nipped at Tenten's bootlace, and waved her large wing at the other two prattling girls. Then she took off, disappearing into the darkened sky.

Ino looked at her watch. "It's almost 8:30. Is it still open?"

"Of course, Ino-pig! Don't you know anything?"

And they began their banter again, following a grinning Tenten to the teahouse. The trio passed by a small blooming glycine tree, the lavender blossoms raining down on the bustling street. (1) Ino smiled at it, intertwining her arms with both girls.

* * *

_A small breeze blew in through an open window in the Jounin's Station, carrying the odd apple scent of the white geraniums growing outside. (2)_

_Sakura watched amused as the seventeen year old blonde frantically went over the packet in front of him. His orange and black jacket hung on the back of his chair. He had taken it off due to the stuffy weather, and she could not help but admire the muscles on his exposed arms._

_He dug his hands in his thick hair, frustrated at the sheer amount of paperwork needed to be filled out simply for the Hokage candidacy. Give him a tournament to fight the other contenders, give him seemingly end-of-the-world scenarios, but this…this was too much. _

_She chuckled and decided to help. She lightly placed her hand on his shoulder. "Here, give me that."_

_Naruto's grateful gaze was utterly pitiful. "Thank you, Sakura-chaaaan!"_

_She simply smiled, filling out the remaining logistical spaces. "Sure, dummy."_

_They both remained silent; the only sounds present were the scratching of pens across paper and the ticking clock. Sakura glanced up only to see an anxious Naruto continually gazing at the the clock hands, eyes crinkling in impatience. She wondered what he was waiting for. She casually began a conversation._

"_Are you still coming with me today to visit Sasuke-kun?"_

_After the war had ended, Sasuke had declared his Hokage candidacy, and in order to show his sincerity, he agreed to be placed under a six month house arrest until his affairs and crimes had all been sorted. Naruto had laughed nonstop at the verdict, just happy that his best friend was back. The litany of D rank missions assigned to the poor Uchiha also helped with the annoyance at his declared intent to be Hokage._

_Naruto's brow furrowed, confused. "Oh, I-I can't today!" _

_Now Sakura was really curious. He never missed the opportunity to visit Sasuke. Team 7 was usually a prime priority on the boy's list. _

"_Why not?" She asked, bemused._

_A luminescent blush graced his whiskered face as he rubbed the back of his head. "Ah! I have to meet Hinata-chan for lunch at Ichiraku's!"_

"_Oh…" That hit Sakura like a ton of bricks, or heck, a ton of Gamabuntas. Where those two really getting that close? Ever since the war, they had started speaking more. Naruto had yet to give a sure reply to Hinata's confession, but still…_

_Naruto glance at the clock, and seeing that it was already two in the afternoon, quickly rose, simultaneously donning his jacket. "See you later Sakura!"_

_He was nearly skipping out the door, and the idiot probably did not even notice how happy he was. Sakura almost felt completely content for him, but something was nagging her. She pictured staying alone with the dark, brooding Uchiha, dreading the awkward and lengthy silence that would occur without Naruto._

"_Naruto, wait!"_

_He stopped at the door frame, a question appearing in his eyes. He waited for her response. Sakura hesitated, not even fully knowing what she wanted. _

"_Umm, uh…Have fun with Hinata-chan!" A strained smile appeared on her face. That had Naruto fully turn around. _

"_Sakura-chan, are you okay?"_

_She waved her hands excitedly, telling him to go on. He kept on pressing though and finally the whole affair ended with Naruto sporting a new bump on his head. He rubbed his temple, swiftly making his way to Hinata. _

_Sakura looked at his retreating back, a sad nostalgia filling her. 'That used to be me.'_

* * *

Hinata sat at a wooden round table, surprisingly the only one available indoors as the establishment was packed. It had enough room for more than two people. She began to admire the twinkling, fairy lights set around the room, smiling at the fall inspired décor of reds and golds.

A kind waiter had brought her the selection menu, indicating that tonight's special drink was Lavender. (3) She thanked him and looked at the options. She was still perusing the lacy booklet, when a high pitched squeal alerted her to the arrival of her guests.

"Oh my god! Hina-chan you look so adorable!" squealed an excited Ino, nearly skipping towards her table, her long light hair flying behind her.

She looked at the ambassador up and down, noticing the changes, mainly in clothing and hair style. The more subtle ones however were not lost upon her. Hinata squirmed under the scrutiny, unaware that Ino was truly in love with her oversized white sweater and red scarf.

Sakura uttered a less enthusiastic, but still friendly, "Hello Hinata-chan, it's nice to see you again."

Hinata smiled politely. "Hello Sakura-san, glad to see you are well."

The petite girl was soon engulfed by the blonde's slim arms, stiffening at the contact. Hyuuga were not trained to become used to this sort of thing. She only ever really did this type of thing with Team 8. She quickly relaxed when she saw that Ino meant well.

She was let go, only to be shown another set of open arms, this time it was Tenten asking permission for a hug. Hinata gently smiled at her confidant and returned the embrace whole heartedly; this was a girl she would trust with anything.

They all then sat down, grabbing extra chairs from neighboring tables. The server, a kind middle aged lady dressed in a plain, green kimono took their orders.

A polite conversation began, filled with small talk and genuine compliments. But Tenten became impatient, wanting to get down to the core of Hinata's urgent need to meet tonight.

"So, why exactly did you want to meet tonight Hinata-chan?" Tenten cut to the chase.

Hinata's eyes widened and she began to tell the tale of her first and second encounters with Naruto. A curious Ino skirted on dangerous territory by asking what happened to them before Hinata had left.

Hinata's mouth clicked shut, a stern refusal to say anything on the matter. Guarded eyes turned towards the gossipy blonde and Tenten gave a stern look, signaling no.

"I'm sorry, Hina-chan. It's none of my business." Ino said apologetically.

"Ah! No, I understand. It's just something I am not comfortable speaking about." Hinata said softly. The other girls marveled at the clarity in her voice and her lack of stutters. She smiled brightly, continuing the conversation.

"But now you see, that is my problem. I have accepted his challenge and now have to spar tomorrow morning."

Ino piped up. "Tomorrow morning. That's unsurprising. Only Naruto would agree to a spar a couple hours before a mission briefing."

Sakura turned towards her best friend. "How do you know?"

"We're assigned to the same mission! I have to report too."

"Do you know what kind of mission?"

"I wouldn't dummy. That's why it's called a mission _briefing._"

Tenten rolled her eyes as they began again. Hinata stared wide eyed, worried at the conflict brewing.

"They'll be fine. They always do this."

"Oh…I see." Hinata mused, feeling slightly left out from the Konoha 13 kunoichi. She tugged on a strand of her inky hair thoughtfully.

"It looks nice." Sakura pointed out. Hinata was startled at the sudden compliment and smiled her thanks. "Anyway, I think my knucklehead teammate is just trying to come to terms with something."

Everyone stared at Sakura, waiting for an explanation. "He did the same thing when Sasuke-kun returned to the village after the war. He asked him to fight."

Tenten smiled encouragingly and patted Hinata's arm. "Try your best Hinata-chan! I'm sure you have some kickass new jutsu to at least wipe that smug smile off his face!"

Ino sighed. And everyone turned their attention towards her, questioning.

"What? I just think Hinata's lucky is all. I mean come on, having a yummy half naked Naruto show up at your front step. I mean only Sakura has-"

A fist slamming on the table caused the silverware and saucers to jump. Sakura kept her hand on the table, a furrowed brow and downturned mouth indicating extreme displeasure. "Too far, Ino-pig."

All three turned towards the Hyuuga, realizing at what the slip of tongue might bring out. Hinata for her part simply stared wide eyed at the implications of Ino's statement. It took only a few seconds for her to regain her composure, before she neatly poured in sugar packets into her Hibiscus tea, stirring vigorously.

"Hina-cha-"

"It's alright. It's fine. I am happy for you Sakura-chan." Her pleasant tone and small smile had everyone relaxing, except for Tenten.

She continued to gaze worriedly at the lavender eyed beauty sipping her tea with a maddening rhythm, the undercurrent of hurt masked well to all who did not know her.

* * *

Hyuuga Hiashi kneeled upon the tatami mat, at the head of the somewhat circular formation of the Hyuuga council. It was late and this meeting had continued for far too long.

"I request that this conversation be adjourned for the time being." He asked politely, carefully putting his large hands into voluminous cream sleeves; a silent signal of his displeasure. He glanced with steely silvery eyes at the congregated elders, all with unmarked foreheads except for two. _'How unjust.'_

"How dare you Hiashi! Trying to put off any decisions," cried an elder Hyuuga lady, her gray hair pulled tight into an immaculate bun.

"The heir is not present." He replied through gritted teeth.

"The heir, the heir, the heir. Is that your only excuse, Uncle?" Snapped Nori Hyuuga, an arrogant twenty something only in the council due to the favoritism of the old clan head.

"With all due respect, Hiashi-sama has a good point. Without Hinata-sama, we cannot adequately make any lasting decisions," reasoned a calm Satoshi Hyuuga, one of the two members representing the branch family.

"Silence, Branch-member!" shouted another elderly council member, his fingers twitching to form the activation sign for the seal.

"ENOUGH!" Hiashi finally shouted. "I am clan head and I rule that no further meetings shall be held until the arrival of the heiress Hinata Hyuuga!"

"SHE ARRIVED THREE DAYS AGO, HIASHI!" rasped the same elderly maid.

"She is still on business for the Hokage, that is all I will say further." Hiashi finalized; the icy tone in his voice and his standing up signaling that this was indeed the end of the conversation. He gracefully exited the room, his tall back displaying the intricately embroidered Hyuuga flame, declaring to all of them just who held the power.

The sliding door with the painted pines slammed shut and the council of fifteen or so was left buzzing on what had just occurred. (4) And despite the fact that the room was filled with supposedly all seeing eyes, no one noticed the slim figure huddled outside, listening intently to everything that had occurred.

"Sister, please hurry."

Hanabi left her hiding place quietly and returned to her room.

* * *

A/n: Cormorants actually symbolize nobility and indulgence and I thought this summon would make a fun character. Umiu means cormorant in Japanese.

The name of the café is actually a compilation of the word tea in different languages.

Cha- Chinese

Chai- Indian/Sanskrit

Shay- Arabic

Flowers: Glycine- Your friendship is agreeable and pleasing to me

Apple-scented geraniums- present preference- referring to Sakura's new crush

Lavender (in this scene, it evokes both meanings)- serenity, distrust

Pine- Hope in adversity

Ah sorry that the spar was not shown yet, but I decided to make this a more character driven chappie. It was long and filler like, but I wanted to build a bit more on the interactions between Hinata and the other kunoichi. And things are heating up with the Hyuuga clan!

Also no worries, I am well aware that Naruto and Sasuke are on a whole other level in terms of strength. But Naruto has still sparred with Rock Lee and I'm sure he's trained with others, so it will be a realistic portrayal of a training spar and not an actual battle. Besides Hinata's had five years, let's see her make him sweat a bit.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed, or favorite. It means a whole bunch!


	15. Ebb and Flow

a/n just in time for Christmas guys! I wish you all a very merry Christmas and may all your wished come true. This is my gift to you. Hopefully, you like it.:)

I don't own Naruto…Kishimoto does.

**Ebb and Flow**

As Naruto groggily made his way to training ground four, he vaguely wondered what on earth made him challenge the ambassador to a spar. The clarity of last night's conversation was left behind in the blurriness of the morning after. He had always been a man of action, and a spar always seemed to fix things for him.

What had Sasuke meant by getting stronger? The only way he could figure was physically and so this should determine if the Hyuuga had indeed gained any new strength. _'…needed to stand on her own?'_

He stuffed his hands into his orange jacket, still filled with a five-year long frustration.

He arrived at the remote training ground four at precisely 7:58 am, dressed in his orange jacket and black pants. The sun was still low in the sky and the remnants of the rain clouds were scattered lazily. It was by the bank of Konoha's largest lake that he found a barefoot Hinata, her eyes closed and barefoot in gently moving water.

He stopped speechless, because at that moment with her eyes closed, the water lapping at her feet and the sun highlighting her features, he forgot to breath. The sweetest smile graced her face, and for a second she looked just as she had, five years ago. And he could not help but admire the shapely curves no longer hidden by oversized jackets. His eyes roamed the pleasing figure. The spell broke when she finally turned towards him, a polite but distant look in her eyes directed towards him.

"Rules, Uzumaki-san?"

Her polite tone and his last name brought his wandering mind back to reality. (That was probably a good thing, because the way things were going, he was close to hoping for some clothing damage in this damn spar.)

"What the hell is your problem Hyuuga-_san?"_ He bit out. Now it was Uzumaki-san? What had he done to this girl to make her so cold, so distant. His fists clenched, and his mouth tightened to a straight line. _'Damn her polite insults and her large…gaaah STOP!'_

Hinata's eyes widened, pained at the formality coming from him. She opened her mouth to apologize, but stopped. She had left for five years. He had called her weak (albeit indirectly). They were even. (But it did not feel that way.) She had already forgiven him for his previous comments. _'I'm being petty and selfish, but still…'_

* * *

_Tenten walked through the new shopping center, glancing at the holiday displays and festive decorations put up for the upcoming season. Ino had left the café early to prepare for her mission. Sakura had excuse herself shortly after, muttering something vague about hospital work. So that fortunately left her alone with Hinata-chan. The girl hoped that now they would be able to speak without reservations._

"_I'm sorry, Hina-chan." Tenten said, using Ino's nickname for the diplomat._

_Hinata turned from admiring a festive holiday display, confused. "There's nothing to be sorry about."_

"_A-about the whole Ino and Sakura thing."_

_Hinata laughed lightly, to Tenten's surprise. "I expected it, Tenten-chan! You told me that for the past three years, every Friday night was a girls' night out."_

"_Not just that. Are you okay? I mean what Ino said about Naruto and Sakura…" Tenten trailed off as she noticed the slight wince crossing her friend's face. 'There it is.'_

_Hinata turned back to the displays, viewing the idyllic snowy scene of a young couple embracing in the wintery landscape. The woman's red scarf was lovingly shared with the young man; their perfect mannequin faces so close, his light hair brushed her own flowing brown locks. She smiled, and was despite the fact that it was the most contrived and clichéd set up of the bunch, she could not help but wish it was real. She unwound her rouge scarf, playing with the fringes. She replied quietly. "It's none of my business."_

_Tenten stopped walking, gently gripping Hinata's shoulder. Warm brown eyes crinkled in sympathy. "Hinata-chan, they're not together."_

_That got Hinata's attention. She was more happy than she liked at the prospect of Naruto being unattached. She tried to ignore the fluttering hopeful feeling in her chest. "W-what?"_

_Tenten reddened slightly, fidgeting with her pockets. "Ehh, they have a complicated relationship. Naruto is uhh…they're…umm friends with benefits so to speak."_

_Hinata tilted her head, further confused. "What does that mean?"_

_Tenten gaped at the innocent, little Hyuuga. Even after all these years, she was still so naïve. She struggled between hugging the adorable heiress for her innocence and letting her know just what exactly Naruto had been up to these past five years. Tenten picked the latter._

"_They're friends, who do umm certain activities…erm…activities that are sexual in nature." Tenten blurted out. She looked at the Hyuuga and marveled at the wonderful shades of red spreading across her pale skin. She smiled fondly. 'At least that part of her hasn't changed.'_

_Hinata sputtered, trying to regain composure. She swiftly walked down the shopping center, hoping to get away from that romantic, wintery display. She vaguely noted that Tenten was struggling to keep up the pace. The man looked an awful lot like…like..She fanned her face, hoping to stop the warmth. And yet, as flustered as she was, the slight feeling of hope had been wonderfully crushed at the revelation. For that she was grateful. 'He's happy, that's all that matters. They're happy.'_

* * *

Hinata sighed. She was taking out her shock of yesterday's revelation on an unsuspecting Uzumaki. It was not fair to him. He was an adult, and he was free to…do whatever he wanted to. She had no right, even if she was still upset. Her gaze lightened, reverting back to her typical friendly formality.

"I am sorry Naruto-san, I am simply tired. What I meant to say was what are the rules for today?" She amended as she pulled her back into a high ponytail.

He smiled wryly. She always had been a stickler for rules. He replied with bravado, fists on hips and legs apart in a heroic stance. "Fine. These are just for you, ambassador. For your own protection, anything goes on your part."

Her slight frown went unnoticed. Was that what he still thought of her? She interrupted him. "Naruto-san, I do have one request."

Naruto finally truly looked at his opponent, taking in the steel behind her glance and wondering what was wrong. He tilted his head, curious. Blonde strands partly obscured his eyes.

"I ask that you fight me as you would any one of our fellow comrades, barring Sasuke-san."

The slight breeze blew across the field, causing the wild licorice stalks to dance. (1)

* * *

"_Hinata-chan!" Tenten huffed. Her poor friend was so flustered, but she needed to know the whole truth. _

"_I-it's none of my business Tenten-chan!" Hinata said firmly._

"_You have to know the rest." Tenten gripped her friend's shoulder. She was vaguely amused when the petite kunoichi covered her small ears with her hands and began to hum a discordant tune. What was she still twelve? Heck, even the twelve year old Hinata would not have done something like this._

"_I'm not listening." Hinata sang, still covering her ears. _

_Tenten gently grasped the girl's wrists and pulled them down. It was the serious expression on her friend's face that caused Hinata to listen. "Hina-chan, she wasn't the only one."_

"…_Oh. I see." Hinata's blank gaze scared Tenten. It was even scarier when a bright smile crossed her face and in the cheeriest voice, declared. "Let's go shopping Tenten-chan!"_

_The poor girl did not even have time to protest. But Hinata seemed completely fine. She was so cheerful, that she almost fooled Tenten. Almost. Regardless, she doubted Hinata even noticed she had bought several pointless things, such as an expensive painting (where would she put it?), a rubber duck, and a stuffed banana toy. (No comment was made on that last one.)_

* * *

His eyes widened. That was wholly unexpected, but he was Naruto Uzumaki, and she was…a comrade. He was not scared of any challenge, and if this was Hinata's way of declaring herself against him, then so be it.

"Fine. Everything goes, except any ninjutsu above B-rank. I won't go into Sage or Beast mode. Good enough?" (And somewhere at the back of his mind, Naruto heard a disgruntled Kurama muttering incoherently.)

Hinata tapped her chin. "Mmm, let's make this a little more challenging."

This Hinata Hyuuga was so forward and not timid; it threw the young man for a loop. Hinata from five years ago would have never even outright said something like that.

Naruto tilted his head in question, pouting slightly, looking for all the world like an adorably confused child. She struggled to maintain the affable, yet slightly distant atmosphere. _'You're mad at him Hinata, remember, mad at him…' _She mused. _'I'm such a horrid liar.'_

"An hour maximum, on top of the lake. The first one to fall in for thirty seconds loses."

"You're on!" He grinned foxily, always excited by a challenge, regardless of his previous anger. Most of all, he was looking forward to the satisfaction of figuring out why exactly he made the challenge in the first place. Fighting always seemed to bring an amazing clarity to complicated situations. (At least in his case, and mostly just with Sasuke.)

"And I will not be using the Byakugan." Her lilac eyes brightened at the prospect of the fight and at the gaping jaw of her challenger. She decided to take a leaf out of Tsunade-sama's book.

"Please close your mouth Uzumaki-san, you look utterly ridiculous."

She frowned, somehow it did not have the same impact. Maybe it was the 'please'.

* * *

Sasuke surveyed the exchange from his place on the large elm tree, tucked into the farthest corner of training field four. His eyes narrowed at the pretty, little Hyuuga's declaration. Not utilizing her Byakugan? For dojutsu users, that was akin to a death sentence.

'_There's something more to this. What are you hiding Hyuuga?'_

But the biggest concern at the moment was why she would announce it so openly. If she had not mentioned it, then his idiot friend would probably have never noticed. What was she trying to prove?

He continued to watch, highly amused at Naruto's gaping expression and Hyuuga's gutsy statement.

* * *

Naruto jolted. Another shadow clone popped out of existence, taken down by a barrage of water needles. That only left about sixty or so, interspersed throughout the training field, while the original was still on the lake. He warily took in his surroundings, his spar partner panting heavily, yet not in the least bit wet. (He had not fallen in, yet.) He looked down at his soaking black shirt wryly.

'_She's a fucking water type. No wonder she was so smug about the lake challenge.'_

He glanced over at the formidable kunoichi, effortlessly maintaining her stance on the water. He noticed the quick movements of her hands. _'Shit. What now?'_

A harsh cry had him looking up. It was that darn abla…alla…damn it, that stupid bird thing again. He had not even been able to see what it looked like really before it had shot up into the air. Who would have thought Hinata could perform the summoning jutsu? Her tinkling voice shouted out.

"Dragon Bullet Derivative: Summon Proxy!"

In an instant, the cries of the summon above grew louder as the water below Hinata coagulated into a massive stream, reaching towards the white bird and completely engulfing it. The shape the water took was as familiar to Naruto as it had been all those years ago. _'This was Zabuza's technique…or at least something like it.'_

A large dragon, its gaping maw ready to engulf him. Quickly he formed a Rasengan, leaping up towards the still forming shape, hoping to stop it before it developed completely. He grazed the side and cut through the middle and landed back down successfully.

"YEAH!" He pumped his fist, triumphantly, only for his grin to drop as the two halves reformed and connected, Hinata's glowing chakra feeding the thing.

'_I'm going to have to attack her head on. That's my best bet.'_

He rushed towards the small girl, knowing that without her Byakugan, there would be no unbreakable defense. He swiftly dodged the oncoming water spout, producing several more clones to stall it. Simple, but effective.

Hinata was slightly winded. It had been a while since she had sparred like this with anyone, not since Kirigakure. Her eyes narrowed as she fought the Byakugan activation, slight pain blossoming across her right temple. Naruto was coming too close.

"Alba-chan! Contingent Giant Squid Maneuver!"

Naruto quirked an eyebrow at her attack name. He looked back expecting the thing to rush towards him, but was surprised when the dragon reared, destroying a dozen of his clones, then crashed into the lake, creating waves. Neither it nor the bird reemerged.

She waited, counting down the distance. In a matter of seconds, Naruto was close enough to attack. She rushed forward, feeling the rough impact of his fist on her shoulder. She twirled to dodge a second barrage of fists, relishing in the energy and pain of the spar. A clone threw a kunai while she sparred this Naruto. It grazed her dark shirt, tearing the sleeve near her shoulder, and exposed slightly reddened pale skin.

"This was new." She complained as the barrage continued. Naruto it seemed was focusing on Taijutsu. She flew across the water as a particularly hard blow sent her soaring over several meters. She looked down at the swiftly approaching lake and above at the Naruto clones prepared to kick her straight down. She grit her teeth and quickly gathered her strength, twisting in the air and simultaneously converting some of her chakra into water, swirling it around her and sending water needles towards the Narutos.

They were distracted enough that she was able to focus on her landing, efficiently delegating chakra to the soles of her feet. She stood, panting.

"Nice Hinata!" Naruto grinned, as he fell down to the lake, breathing slightly harder than before. Giving her no time to think, he took her exhaustion as an opening, using Lee's Hard Fist style to attack.

Hinata copied something similar he had done in his fight against Neji, and allowed herself to be caught, only to use his slight opening to her advantage.

She curled a small fist, laced with chakra to hit his solar plexus. He doubled over. Then there was a pop. _'A shadow clone!'_

She looked out on the lake, a scattering of orange denoting the presence of the remaining clones, all engaged in a battle with her own water clones. She could feel her chakra slowly seeping into the lake, leeching from her to maintain her delicate balance. _I need to focus_.'

This was when Byakugan would have been useful. _'Where's the real one?'_

She failed to notice the only duck floating on the lake behind her.

* * *

_Naruto rushed out of his tiny apartment, barely remembering to put on a shirt and pants. (The green shirt was on backwards and his penguin hat was clinging to the seat of his dark pants.) His blonde spikes were even more in disarray than usual. But at the moment, he did not care. _

_Even as he sped past the villagers and friends he cherished, their friendly greetings were completely lost to him. Shikamaru's pity-filled gaze in his direction went unnoticed. The only thing that mattered was the tiny note and the bundle of flowers clutched in his shaking fist._

_He needed to find Ino._

* * *

"Good job Naruto-san!" Hinata smiled genuinely at his evasive tactics. _'He's taking me as a serious opponent.'_

A white blur emerged from behind, the sound of water splashing, and a sharp cry signaling. "Thank you Alba-chan!"

She turned just in time to see a startled duck quacking. She threw a kunai towards the dark colored bird it dodged, only for the real Naruto to disrupt his henge. Before he could leap away, tendrils of water emerged from the lake, following the trajectory of an emerging Albatross, it's wings directing the water and twirling around a struggling Naruto. He was trapped, the water grasping him like an octopus or a _'squid! That's what her maneuver was.'_

He frowned, impressed. Hinata had grown stronger, but somehow, the clarity he was expecting had not come yet. Before he could break free, he caught sight of Hinata's focused gaze. Unexpectedly pulled towards it, he could not look away. Not even as she went through a series of hand signs and the water around the two bubbled as if boiling.

"Water-Heavens Convergence!"

And Naruto could not escape the fog in his brain, even as glistening spheres of water rose from the lake and surrounded the pair. _'What is this ninjutsu?'_

It was all he could do to take a deep breath before being thrust into a large sphere of water forming behind him. Hinata silently mouthed a countdown, relaxing further as Naruto's remaining clones popped out of existence. "30…29…28"

* * *

_He skidded to a stop in front of the Yamanaka Flower Shop. This should have been where he first looked. Regardless, there was Ino, looking bored as ever. She picked at the lint on her orange shirt, huffing. The tinkling bell announced his entrance and had her full attention. _

"_Hey Naru-"_

"_What does this mean?!" He quickly shoved the crumpled flowers at her, accidently dropping the note on the counter._

"_Naruto, who is this from?" Ino asked worriedly, dreading the answer. The whiskered youth gazed at her, hope and despair at war within his cobalt eyes. 'Hina-chan.'_

_She looked at the falling petals of several bright mini blossoms, grouped into a larger flower. Then she turned towards the other flower type present. White, round petals, almost like roses wilting without water. _

"_Naruto, are you sure you want to know?" Ino asked hesitantly, her eyes filled with pity._

"_What does it mean, Ino?" He whispered again, brokenly._

_She closed her eyes and pointed towards the orange flowers. "Those are Butterflyweed. (2)"_

_Then she gestured towards the white ones. "Those are Volkamenia.(3)"_

_She gently told him what both meant, quickly glancing at the exposed note before he could further damage it. It only had two words. _

'_I'm sorry.'_

_Ino watched as a broken and frustrated Naruto tore up the small piece of paper, the white fragments falling like snow to the ground. 'Oh, Naruto what have you done?'_

* * *

Naruto watched impassively as the water sphere closed around him, dimly aware that he would lose if it went down into the lake. He closed his eyes, uncaring. He could almost picture it, almost feel it sinking. Water embracing him like a long lost lover's arms. _'Wait, a minute. Someone is hugging me. What the hell?'_

His eyes shot open, glancing at his chest where he felt a weight. Dark hair, long and dancing in the water. The indigo hues made out in dim sunlight penetrating the sphere. The small form of a young woman, pressed against his front. He could feel…everything…pressed against him, and he felt the blood rush north and south simultaneously. _'Who is she?'_

As if reading his mind, the girl looked up, lavender eyes hooded and focused. She smiled, a soft and coy curve across a pixie face.

"H-Hinata?!" He exclaimed, only for it to come out as bubbles. She giggled lightly, the sound somehow reaching him through the water. Her bare arms came to cradle his face. Alarms went off in Naruto's head. Bare arms? He looked down, becoming painfully aware that Hinata was naked, her long trailing hair hardly covering anything.

He tried to protest; more bubbles. He gazed down at the naked Hinata, only to have her soft lips fall on his. He fell into the kiss, almost losing himself completely._ 'I'm surprised I haven't run out of air yet. Hell, I'm surprised Hinata is acting so sex…'_

Then it hit him. When had Hinata ever initiated anything like this? He broke the kiss, to his great disappointment. He looked down at the surprised Hinata. Regretting what he was about to do.

"Sorry, Hinata."

He formed the hand seal. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

The sheer number of clones burst the bubble and he was free.

* * *

"5, 4, 3…" Hinata stopped as the surface of the lake exploded with Narutos. She smiled, filled with nostalgia; of course he would come back in the nick of time. This was Naruto Uzumaki, the number one unpredictable ninja.

The descending clones wasted no time, they spun in midair, preparing to assault her. Her foot slipped into the water. She grit her teeth, she was running out of enough chakra to maintain her balance and fight. She squinted. _'Not good. My sight is being strained, and I'm not even using the Byakugan.'_

She began her technique, based on the Protection of Eight Trigrams, yet requiring much less precision. "Dance of a Thousand Water Needles!"

And a shocked Naruto watched as she spun, as she did many years ago, quickly molded spears of water taking out his clones.

He stared wide eyed at the petite ambassador. Her strength had increased, but so had her creativity and boldness. Using a genjutsu and ninjutsu combination while tricking the opponent into thinking it was only the latter. Brilliant!

However, her choice of illusion seemed somewhat egotistical. He frowned and his fists clenched slightly. Had other opponents seen the naked Hinata?

He quirked an eyebrow at the panting girl. "Nice genjutsu. But don't you think it's a little overboard?"

She tilted her head, eyes widening in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Naruto blushed slightly, still shifting in discomfort from leftover arousal. He perused the girl's slight form, imagining what he had seen in the illusion. _'Gaah! Stop, now's not the time!'_

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Naruto-san, my genjutsu is designed to evoke what the victim finds most seductive in that point in time."

His blush intensified. "W-what?"

"Everyone sees something different, depending on what they like." She replied matter-of-factly completely oblivious to what the implications of her own technique were. She smiled brightly and very innocently. "I call it Ningyo-hime's eternal embrace."

"What a fancy name." Naruto stated bluntly, nearly choking on the accuracy of it.

Her eyes became serious. "Let's finish this though. We're on fifty four minutes, and so far, neither one of us has stayed in the water for more than thirty seconds."

Naruto grinned. "You've done pretty good, Hinata. But prepare to lose!"

He rushed towards the wobbling girl, ready to end the spar and running on his ridiculous stamina. She regained her determination, and called for Alba-chan. His answering cry as he circled closer and closer reassured her. She only had enough chakra to do this, variation of her Gentle Step technique. She channeled her chakra into her hands, transforming it into water chakra. Naruto recognized the technique, but instead of roaring lions, there appeared gaping dragon head, larger and actually roaring with the sounds of water rushing.

Hinata rushed towards the Hokage-to-be and in a series of circular movements, almost like dancing, she reached for him, attempting blunt force trauma.

And that's when it hit Naruto. _'Her technique is still imperfect, but her style is flawless. But it isn't Gentle Fist. It's more like a combination of Lee's Hard fist and dancing. Her weak spot…There it is!'_

Naruto avoided her intricate attacks, and produced a shadow clone underwater. She was tiring, and without Byakugan, her back was exposed for an entire second. It was all he needed. The shadow clone slammed into her back, using its full weight to knock her down. She managed to twist and fatally hit the clone and dispelled it, but was unable to finish the attack on the real Naruto. Her sight became blurry, and she knew she had lost.

But she was still glad. She let herself fall gracefully into the lake, floating on her back while she counted down from thirty. The water soothed the emerging headache pulsing behind her eyes.

Naruto could only stare at the odd girl, marveling at her increase in strength and the simple aura of content that seemed to radiate off of her.

"3, 2, 1…" She opened her eyes to look at her opponent. He was staring at her intensely, and despite her years as an ambassador, his look still unnerved her. "Naruto-san?"

* * *

"_N-naruto-kun?" Queried a gentle voice. He had been staring for several moments at the damaged, golden petals of the birdsfoot trefoil. (4) The bright color standing out against the white sheet of paper he had attempted to preserve it on._

_She looked down at his trembling hands and knew something was very wrong. She gently grasped his wrists, and wiped off the pollen and smeared yellow of the blossom. _

"_I-it's okay." _

_He glanced at her, blue eyes disbelieving, and he hung his head, ashamed. "How can you say that?"_

_She looked at him, full on and waited for his explanation. She repeated firmly. "It's okay."_

"_You…You're so gentle and kind and pure. But me…I'm not. I mess up a lot of things a-and I..I"_

_She tightened her grip on his hands, a determined look crossing her face. She caressed his fingers. "These hands, have saved so many lives…Have given strength to so many friends…have fixed so many problems."_

"_But I-"_

"_357" She stated firmly interrupting his downward spiral._

"_W-what?"_

"_357. That i-is how many flowers I-I have ruined over the years trying to p-preserve them, trying to s-save them." She smiled. "Do you know what the flower you ripped means?_

"_No…" Naruto answered carefully, stunned. _

_She smiled brightly at that. "It means h-hatred, Naruto-kun. You j-just destroyed h-hatred."_

_And she left him to continue pressing her own scarlet Hibiscus flower. Naruto stood still, before moving towards her. _

"_And what does your flower mean, Hinata-chan? What are you saving?"_

_She froze, laughing hesitantly. "I-I don't actually know. But the Hibiscus w-was my m-mother's favorite."_

_Naruto grinned, reanimated from Hinata's pep-talk and wanting to help her somehow. "Well, let's go look it u-"_

"_No!" She exclaimed, surprising them both. Naruto tilted his head, confused._

"_I-I'm s-sorry. It's j-just I have to f-finish preserving this o-one." Her eyes became downcast and Naruto knew not to push any further._

* * *

Naruto vigorously shook his head, snapping out of his daze. His question had been partially answered. He would just have to get to know her better; he was still unable to reconcile the shy girl from years prior to this odd, bright creature, but he would try.

He reached out a large, calloused hand towards the girl floating on the waves. She hesitantly reached for it, grasping it. He pulled her to her feet and she marveled at the ease with which he did. But most of all, she marveled at the feeling of her hand in his.

'_It still feels the same. Warm and strong.'_

She almost let herself enjoy the moment, except…_'How many other girls have held this hand? How many others has this hand pleasured?'_

With a slight blush, and look to the side, she swiftly slipped her hand from his grip. She gave a small, polite bow to the startled blonde. "Thank you, Naruto-san for the spar."

Her hair flopped forward in its ponytail, and her slightly damp clothes clung to her form, outlining vaguely what he very much wanted to see. He stopped his thoughts. That was a dangerous path, and she was still an innocent it seemed.

A quiet bird trill caught their attention, and finally the white blur circled down and landed heavily on Hinata's outstretched arm. Her entire being brightened at the sight and the heavy looking seagull thing affectionately nipped a strand of her hair.

"Alba-chan. Thank you for today."

"Wait a minute! That seagull is yours?" Naruto's eyes widened. That was his bird friend from Hokage tower. So that meant the ribbon he had kept, had been…had been, he instantly reddened, unusually embarrassed. _'Come on Uzumaki, get it together. You've talked to a ton of other girls. It's just Hinata.'_

Hinata glanced up at Naruto's exclamation,"You know Alba-chan?"

In typical Naruto fashion, he rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed. "Y-yeah. I was there when he delivered a message to Tsunade-baa-chan."

Alba-chan gave a gently squawk, and gliding towards Naruto, nestling on his blonde hair. Hinata giggled lightly, continuing even as they made their way to the bank of the lake. The pair was surprised to find a waiting Sasuke near the edge of the training ground.

"Ah! Good morning Sasuke-san!" Hinata chirped.

Naruto internally winced, slightly sympathetic towards the cheery girl. Sasuke did not take friendliness from girls their age very well. He was therefore floored when the corner of Sasuke's mouth turned up slightly. (The tiniest bit, but if you knew Sasuke-teme like Naruto did, then you would know that that was enough.)

"Hn." He nodded towards the girl, and raised an eyebrow at Naruto's drenched state. "What happened to you, Idiot? Seems like Hyuuga got the best of you."

Naruto began to protest and was about to challenge Sasuke to a brawl, when Hinata excused herself. Alba-chan flew from Naruto's head to Hinata's arm, lightly swooping past Sasuke's head, as if to silently include him. She smiled goodbye at the two, before she was stopped by Sasuke's voice.

"Hyuuga, almost forgot. Someone from your clan was looking for you."

"Who?" She asked earnestly.

"A girl, Hanabi Hyuuga or something."

Her eyes widened and she gave him another polite bow. "Thank you Sasuke-san."

The two males watched as she leapt towards town, a white blur following her. When she was gone, Naruto turned his gaze towards his hand. The same hand he had helped her up with, which was ironically the same hand that she had held, before…

_It's not just you, Naruto… we __**all**__ hold those same words and feelings within our hearts. They're what bind our lives together and make us comrades._

Naruto looked up, about to ask his friend something when he noticed the intensity with which the Uchiha gazed after the heiress. And his chest lurched. (No one should look at Hinata that intensely.) And for some inexplicable reason, he wished for Sasuke to be gay. Very gay.

The bittersweet scent of yellow marigolds wafted through the air. (5)

* * *

1-wild licorice- declare against you

2-butterfly weed- let me go

3-Volkamenia-may you be happy

4-birdsfoot trefoil-hatred

5-marigold-jealousy

a/n: Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorite, or followed! Sorry this update took so long, but this has been the longest chapter so far and I fear they will all be this length in the future. If my pacing is at all off, please let me know. Again, as I said, this fight was a spar, not an all-out battle and I wanted to show off Hinata's new jutsu, hence why Naruto mostly used his basic tools (ie. Shadow clones, Rasegan, Taijutsu). Next up Hyuuga clan! I have also written a bonus chapter, detailing Hinata's goodbye but I am not sure if order wise it fits. Let me know if I should post it.

For those clamoring for Sasuhina, well you're getting hints.

This has been the hardest chapter to write so far folks and we are nearing the half way point folks! Just to let you know, Hinata's jutsu- Water-heavens convergence is from the land of vegetables arc where Hinata and Naruto and Choji were assigned to save princess Haruna, and Naruto talk-no-jutsued her too. That's why Hinata got the scroll from Haruna-sama in the flashback.

The Dragon Bullet is derived from Zabuza/Kakashi's technique used in Land of Waves arc. It used less seals however due to the fact that it is joined with summoning jutsu, allowing the summon to utilize its own chakra to mold and guide the dragon form. The user and summon have to be very in tune to use it effectively. That's the downside, it's also not as powerful.

And ningyo-hime means mermaid princess…referring to the myths of sirens/mermaids drowning sailors by singing and dragging them to their deaths.


	16. A Goodbye From Years Past

a/n: Ah! It seems I've upset some people with the Sasuhina comment. I promised hints. There will not be a sasuhina coupling at all, if anything just a friendship. However, it's the hints that will give Naruto the wrong idea. That was the point of the comment.

Also this bonus chapter just revealed a lot more than I thought it did. WAAAAY MOREE.

**A Good-bye From Five Years Past**

The pair stood in the Training Ground 4, silent for a few moments. Then, Naruto slapped his teammate on the back, causing his concentration to break. Sasuke stumbled forward from the sheer force of impact.

"What the hell was that for, idiot?!"

He stopped. Naruto was being odd, there was a hard glint in his eyes and he was oddly tense. _'Is he...?'_

Naruto blurted out", Do you look like Hinata?"

It was Sasuke's turn to be speechless. He barely even knew the girl. She was slightly less annoying than the other kunoichi, and so he tolerated her. Right now, his fascination rested with what she was hiding. Even when he was escorting her back home, not once had she even used her Byakugan to scan the area, and when he had asked why, she skirted the question with damn half answers. If anything, he hoped to high heaven that whatever was going on within the Hyuuga clan would not result in something like what happened to his own clan. Whatever happened, he would put the peace of Konoha, before anything else.

Sasuke returned the favor to Naruto, slapping his head. "Are you jealous or something, because it's not a good look for you."

Naruto stopped rubbing his head, and his gaze drifted to the lake. Sasuke sighed, he was having an 'ahah!' moment.

"I-I guess I am…"

Props for Naruto's honesty at least. Sasuke shifted slightly. If anyone had the power to prevent turmoil or whatever, it would be Naruto.

Rumors of the Hyuuga clan's political prowess not just in the Capital, but in the other countries had been swirling around for years. But it was only recently, that whispers of a growing rift had begun to circulate.

"Naruto."

The man in question turned towards his rival. And it was times like these that reminded Sasuke why he was their future Hokage. "Sasuke-teme, what do you know about the Hyuuga clan?"

* * *

**Five Years Ago…. **

Tsunade sighed as she perused the application in front of her, disregarding the fidgety girl standing in front of her. After several tense moments, she finally looked up, her honey gaze unreadable.

"You want to become a part of the Diplomacy Corps?"

"Y-yes, Tsunade-sama," Hinata replied, uncertain. She nervously tucked a short strand of hair behind her ear. She played with the hem of her flak jacket, waiting for her fate to be announced. She needed this. Really needed this if things were going to be okay.

"Based on your application, I would say you are more than qualified for the position. In addition to that, you're polite, tactful, quick-witted, and open-minded. All perfect qualities for the job."

Hinata visibly sighed in relief. This was good; it seemed that years of Hyuuga political and etiquette training would finally pay off.

"However, I want to know the real reason behind your choice."

"E-excuse me?"

Tsunade smiled wryly, and laced her hands under her chin. "Come now Hinata-chan. I highly doubt it's because you enjoy political intrigue and ass-kissing the hell out of higher officials."

Hinata blanched at Tsunade's blunt and slightly vulgar description of the job. It would not be that horrible, she was sure. Based on her past experiences with the many Hyuuga political allies, there was more to the position than that. But the truth was that…

"I c-cannot utilize the Gentle Fist as efficiently as b-before, because of…of" She trailed off, gesturing towards her right eye and the healing bruise hidden beneath layers of hair.

"Are you running away?"

"No!" Hinata denied vehemently. She was not a coward; she simply needed time. She needed time to get stronger; time to deal with this new disability and time to find herself again. Otherwise, things would be very difficult with the Hyuuga clan and she feared that with these complications, her promise to Neji would be unfulfilled. This would buy her that time.

Tsunade's eyes widened at the passionate denial. "Then what?"

"I c-could l-lose my title if they f-found out. Everything w-would b-be ruined. I just need s-some time."

Tsunade nodded in understanding. "What else have the Hyuuga put their grubby paws in Hinata?"

"N-naruto-kun's Hokage c-candidacy. They have d-direct ties to the council in the Capital."

Tsunade was floored. The arrogant Hyuugas had political reach as far as that. This could utterly devastate Naruto's chances of becoming Hokage. If the council did not approve him, even if Konoha were to approve him, there would be a slim chance of even getting him into the Hokage's robes without provoking an all-out civil war with the Capital.

"Will you be able to handle the pressures of the job? The constant travel, the arguments, and the intimidation?"

"Of c-course, Tsunade-sama. I th-think my trai-"

"Hinata, I'm not asking about your training. I'm sure you'll do brilliantly, what I'm asking is will _you _be okay?"

Hinata remembered why she was doing this; for her family, for Hanabi, for Naruto-kun and for everyone else who would benefit by having him as Hokage. She would do this. She nodded firmly. "I can do this, Tsunade-sama."

'_There she is, the Hinata from the war.' _Tsunade smile proudly and slammed her hands on her desk, causing papers to fly everywhere and startling a waiting Hinata. _'This might be good for her after all, just one thing left."_

"What about Naruto? Wouldn't you rather he know abou-"

"No. He's b-busy fulfilling the r-requirements. He has S-sasuke-san to compete against and has enough to h-handle. This is m-my family's p-problem." Hinata reasoned, her hands fiddling excitedly. _'Besides, he already thinks I'm weak enough.'_

Tsunade was surprised, the two had been getting closer this past month, and she thought that Hinata would want Naruto's support, as she always had.

"B-besides, I cannot a-always rely on his s-strength. I need to d-do this on my own."

"So you won't tell anyone?"

"If I d-did, th-they wouldn't let me go through with it." Hinata's spine straightened and her eyes narrowed in an attempt the tears from falling. She would miss everyone.

* * *

_Ino was bored. Another morning running the flower shop and no customer's in sight. A tinkling bell announced a visitor. 'Finally, a person!'_

_Ino bounced out from around the counter, cheerfully greeting her patron. "Welcome, how can I help you?"_

_A small squeak and an answering greeting had her looking up. "Hina-chan!"_

"_Good morning, Ino." Hinata smiled brilliantly, clutching a small piece of paper to her chest._

"_What's that Hina? Do you need help with something?"_

_Ino was excited. Hinata was the only other person who could understand the beauty of flowers. Both had hobbies involving them, however Ino's focused on using the ephemeral beauty of live ones while Hinata's hobby attempted to preserve them. And she was the only other girl who knew about the secret language of flowers._

_Hinata nodded the affirmative, her short hair swinging vigorously. She was dressed casually Ino noted, with dark pants and a blue sweater. Ino smoothed her own yellow apron and extended her hand, silently asking to see the paper._

_Ino's eyes widened at the long list of blossoms. "You want to buy all this Hina-chan?"_

"_Y-yes."_

"_What's the occasion? Is it for Naruto?" Her eyes narrowed slyly, teasing the blushing Hyuuga._

"_N-no! I-It's just I'm k-kind of going on a flower p-pressing spree a-and-"_

"_Just teasing Hina!" Ino interrupted, seeing that the girl was so flustered she was about to self-combust. She gestured towards the red-faced girl, indicating that she should follow her. Ino practically bounced to the store room, professionally and gently picking out Hinata's requested blossoms. Because there were so many, Ino did not even have time to think about their individual meanings, their colors and fragrances blurring as she went from one to the next._

_Finally, when she was done, she lead Hinata to the work bench were they made small talk as she expertly clipped the thorns and dead leaves and packed the flowers into cold boxes to preserve them. Finally, she handed the completed package and list to Hinata._

"_Here you go Hina-chan" She said brightly. She was further surprised when Hinata reached into the box and pulled out a single white jasmine, its delicate petals curling outwardly towards Ino. (1) She handed it to the startled blonde, smiling. "Thank you, Ino."_

_And with that, Hinata gracefully exited the store, clutching her box of blossoms. A bemused Ino returned to the front counter, a jasmine flower carefully tucked into the pocket of her apron._

_The bell tinkled again a few minutes later, a confused looking Sai roughly holding a bunch of wine colored amaranthus flowers. (2)_

"_Stutters-chan gave this to me. Why?"_

_He was further bewildered when Ino began laughing uncontrollably. _

* * *

"Hinata Hyuuga, I welcome you to the Diplomacy Corps." Tsunade smiled at the girl.

"R-really Tsunade-sama!" Her eyes brightened, a thousand thank you's on her lips, but before she could even utter one, Tsunade popped her little bubble with…

"Under certain conditions of course."

Hinata deflated. Of course, there would have to be with Tsunade-sama. There always was.

"Condition one, no one, outside of who I approve, can know of what your mission is. You cannot tell anyone, partly because of what could happen if your clan found out and mostly because of the sensitivity of political talks and deals. You will carry some of Konoha's most important secrets, and discretion is imperative."

* * *

"_Hinata-chan?" Sakura looked surprised as the petite kunoichi stood in her doorway, a large neatly wrapped basket held in her hands. "Come in!"_

_Hinata smiled gratefully, placing the basket on Sakura's breakfast table, marveling at the creams and beiges of the girl's decor. Sakura peeked through the transparent wrapping, scrutinizing the assortment of dried herbs and teas packed neatly. Out of place, was the small box of kusa mochi (3), placed on top._

"_Uhh…So what brings you here so early in the morning? Not that I mind you visiting." Sakura inquired somewhat unsure. It was not to say she disliked the little Hyuuga, simply that she did not know her very well. The fact that Hinata was kind of dating Naruto (although neither of the two would admit it) bothered her a little, mostly because the girl was all Naruto could talk about the past month. (She pushed these feelings to the side, knowing it would do no good.)_

_Hinata still had a small, gentle smile on her face. Her huge eyes nearly swallowing her face in a myriad of emotions so mixed, that Sakura had a harder time reading her than usual. She nodded towards the basket. _

"_Umm, Th-that is for you and S-sasuke-san."_

_Sakura looked carefully at the basket, beaming excitedly when she saw exactly what Hinata had given her. "Hinata! This is amazing! How did you get these mullein herbs (4), they're so hard to find here?!" _

_Hinata's tiny, tremulous smile grew, glad that her gift had pleased the health conscious medic-nin. "Ano, I have a small herb garden, so I though you would like it."_

_Sakura's eyes sparkled as she thought of all the wonderful curative properties packed into the basket. The mullein herb alone could be used to treat anything from respiratory infections to vascular problems. "Thank you, Hinata. I love it, and I'm sure Sasuke-kun will enjoy the tea."_

_Sakura then turned towards the girl. "But what's the occasion?"_

_Here Hinata paled. "Umm…I w-was just working in the garden and I noticed you seemed a bit stressed, so I thought it would be a n-nice present."_

_A pang of guilt swept through Sakura as she remembered her earlier feelings towards the kind girl. Still it was odd, such a nice present all of a sudden. But she would not look a gift horse in the mouth, and so decided not to press on with her questions. The poor heiress looked ready to faint anyway. _

_Sakura offered another thank you and an invitation to tea. Hinata politely refused and said she needed to run some other errands. Sakura cheerfully waved the girl off, not noticing the heavy slump of her shoulders as she walked out._

* * *

"Number two, you will pick one trusted comrade and confide in them. You will contact them and me through monthly reports or letters and they will accompany you on your first diplomatic assignment. Because you said your team would most likely stop you if they knew of your condition, pick someone unbiased."

Tsunade gazed at the girl, knowing that this would be the hardest stipulation. If Naruto's flaw was being intrusive, then Hinata's was that she never wanted to rely on others for help. It was not from arrogance, but rather insecurity and not wanting to be a burden. And if she had to compare the two flaws, the second could prove the most fatal.

'_Hinata will learn to speak up. But this injury of hers cannot be revealed yet.'_

* * *

_Tenten and Hinata quietly sat by Neji's grave, giving their weekly offerings to their mutual loved one. It had been about a month after the war when they found each other here and had decided to hold these visits together, seeking solace in the other's company. Lee would sometimes join them, despondent at the loss of his rival. Today however, he had opted for training to ease his pain and had left the two kunoichi alone._

"_Tenten-san?"_

"_Hinata-chan. I told you, you don't have to be so formal."_

_A small giggle had Tenten looking at the Hyuuga. She never laughed when visiting Neji's grave. Hinata looked up apologetically and wistfully. "I used to tell Neji-nii-san the same thing when he would call me Hinata-sama."_

_Soon the two were laughing together, comparing memories of the brave man they both missed. They quieted after several minutes, the silence broken by Hinata's whispered question._

"_Tenten-san, I want to thank you and Lee-san for helping me with my taijutsu training these past few weeks."_

"_Huh? It's no problem Hinata-chan, I'm sure Lee is just as happy to be able to fight another Gentle Fist user. Though we were both surprised that you wanted to learn Guy-sensei's Hard Fist style, it's the very opposite. And you haven't really used your Byakugan, yet you've still learned so much."_

"_W-well…I…Tenten-san, I trust you very much and I know Neji-nii-san d-did too, so I'm going to tell you." Hinata said, a determined and grim look crossing her face. She relayed the entire affair to Tenten, including how things were relating to Naruto and why she was the only one who would know._

_A shocked and slightly flattered Tenten replied quietly "Thank you, Hinata-chan. I promise your secret's safe and I…I'm going to go with you on your first assignment."_

_Hinata looked up surprised and grateful. Tears pooled in her eyes as she thanked the bun-haired girl profusely. _

* * *

"Condition three, you will need to have monthly check ups by a physician in whatever village or country you are visiting. It's a hassle, but it's necessary. I will not compromise your health and it would not due to have my ambassador vulnerable to attack. You will be a protector of precious information, so be prepared."

_She gave a slight bow, winded from the training session with a certain Rock Lee. She smiled, she was getting stronger already. But this, this would be that last time she would see her energetic teacher in a while._

"_Lee-san!" She handed him a box of chamomile tea, as thanks for all his work with her. _

_His bushy brows rose, confused as to why she was handing him tea. "Thank you, Hinata-chan! I will treasure this precious gift!"_

_Hinata laughed, his enthusiasm was contagious. 'Almost like Naruto-kun…'_

_Lee asked, "But what is it for?"_

"_I-it's to thank you for being my teacher these past few weeks."_

_He gazed appreciatively at the box, still confused by why she gave him this particular tea. Thinks brows furrowed over his large eyes. "W-wha-"_

"_Chamomile means 'energy in adversity' in the language of f-flowers." She explained gently._

_The grin on Lee's face spread as he hopped up and down. "YOSH! THANK YOU HINATA-CHAN!"_

* * *

Hinata nodded. These conditions were very reasonable.

"Condition number four, you will come back immediately if I send for you, regardless of what you're doing."

The small kunoichi groaned internally. This was understandable as well, but if Tsunade was even given the slightest reason, then her time as an ambassador could be shortened drastically. As it was, she was not even sure how long this mission was supposed to be for.

"Don't roll your eyes at me Hyuuga Hinata!"

She stood straight, not wanting to anger one of the legendary Sannin.

* * *

"_Dinner's ready!" Hinata chimed as she and Kurenai-sensei laid out the numerous dishes they had spent hours preparing in Kurenai's tiny kitchen. The smell wafted through the small partition and into the living room where Kiba, Shino and Akamaru were all entertaining a very fussy Asuma-kun, his chubby arms flailing as he tried to catch one of Shino's insects. _

_The hungry men rushed towards the table, even the normally stoic Shino was eager to sample Hinata's and Kurenai's wonderful cooking. The delicious beef hot pot was accompanied by creatively molded rice balls and carefully prepared grilled salmon. _

"_Asuma-kun," Hinata lightly cooed as she picked up the bubbly baby and placed him into his high chair, laughing at his actions._

_Kurenai smiled, seeing her team together and laughing again. She was indescribably glad that they had all made out alive, and she thanked her lucky stars every day that her surrogate family was still intact. "Hinata, you can eat now."_

_Hinata turned smiling towards her teacher and mother figure. "It's okay. I want to feed Asuma-kun."_

_She was startled then when a pair of arms grabbed her around the waist and pulled her towards the remaining chair on the table. She squeaked as she heard a gruff laugh. "Come on, Hinata-taaan! We're going to feeed jooo."_

_Shino cringed at Kiba's attempted baby voice and Kurenai took over feeding a giggling Asuma-kun. A loud chortle and ping announced a carrot's journey through the air. It landed on Shino's glasses, comically sticking on for several moments before sliding off._

_The air remained silent, before being broken by Asuma's giggles. Then everyone began laughing, even Shino's quiet huffs rang through the apartment as Team 8 had their dinner; all but one unaware that it would be their last in a long while._

_Kurenai admired the bouquet Hinata had brought, a gorgeous arrangement of yellow and purple pansies (5), interspersed with honeysuckle (6). _

_And Hinata's smile became melancholy, because she knew she was being selfish with that message._

* * *

"That's all for now Hinata-chan." Tsunade finalized tiredly. She was getting too old for this sort of thing. She rubbed her temples and clarified one last detail.

"You have a week to get your affairs in order. You know the rules."

* * *

_Shikamaru frowned as he looked down at his and Choji's gifts from the Hyuuga. Something was up. Choji remained unaware, munching on the freshly made box of cinnamon rolls Hinata had baked all for him. He did not care what her reasons were, he was simply glad to have a friend who could cook as well as Hinata._

'_Troublesome…should I ask or not?'_

_Hinata suspected Shikamaru knew and silently pleaded with him not to say a word. He sighed; it was not any of his business anyway. He remained silent, even as Hinata left. He tightly clutched his new shogi set, being careful not to crush the white poppy fastened to the top. (7) _

* * *

Hinata smiled in gratitude, her hands clasped in anticipation and bittersweet glee. She bowed to her Hokage and made her way out the door. She was stopped by Tsunade's voice.

"Try and find a subtle way to say good bye to everyone, especially Naruto."

Then the door clicked shut, signaling to Tsunade that it was okay to resume drinking.

_The fall night was awfully clear and chilly; the numerous stars glittered above, winking to the world below. Dead leaves (8) littered the grassy field and the squeaking of the wooden swing could be heard as its petite occupant swung back and forth, her short midnight hair moving with her. _

_Naruto glanced thoughtfully at the girl, his eyes cobalt in the intensity of his emotions towards her. Why had she wanted to meet out here tonight?_

_The abrupt stopping of the swing caught his attention. He waited for a response._

"_Naruto-kun."_

_That was odd. No stutter or blush accompanied his name. Then again, she had been getting better at dealing with his presence and the past six months had helped him appreciate the redness and the inarticulate sounds. Heck, he had even come to think they were very adorable._

_She did not look at him, opting to gaze at the sky, her silvery eyes like stars themselves. She tugged uncomfortably at her navy sweater, the cold biting through._

"_Hinata-cha-"_

"_Thank you." She stated quietly, still not looking. It was then he noticed something shining on her cheek make its way down. She was crying. He lunged forward, needing to comfort her, to stop whatever was making her sad. She looked so broken and it hurt to see her like that._

_She was not shocked when he hugged her. This was simply him, a way for him to show he cared. She relished the moment, knowing that it stemmed from her apparent fragility and feelings of friendship, not love. 'Not like with Sakura.'_

"_Hinata-chan, thank you for what?"_

_She froze. It was time._

"_For giving me time. For letting me stay by your side and giving me a chance."_

_Naruto stepped back, confusion written across his face. What was she talking about? Of course, he had given her a chance. She was wonderful Hinata. Kind, beautiful and smart, and though at the beginning of their relationship he may have still love Sakura, that was becoming less and less of a problem. _

_She looked up at him again, and softly reached for his whiskered cheek. His eyes widened, she had not done that since the war. She had never been so bold. He relished the sensation, a blush coming to his face._

"_Thank you l-letting me love you."_

_Then she kissed him on the cheek. He stiffened, shocked by what she was doing._

_She then pulled away, softly caressing his face as he did and stepped out of his loose embrace._

"_You're free, Naruto-kun._

_And there she stood, like a piece of the night sky fallen to the ground. Shining with all its mysteries and trembling with the entire unknown. And it took a while for Naruto to register what she had just said. No, no…this was not how it was supposed to be. This was not normal. This was a dream, Tomorrow, everything would be fine and he would meet Hinata for Ichiraku's like always, maybe do some flower pressing, or heck even just lay down and talk…_

_She turned to leave, a sad smile gracing her face. Before she could leap and disappear like the insubstantial form of some specter of the night, he grabbed her tiny arm._

"_W-what do you mean I'm free?"_

_She looked shocked, surprised at his response. _

"_I'm not free. I don't want to be…I mean…we still have time to get to know each other…"_

_She was sobbing now. "Naruto, it's over and I have to go."_

_She wrenched her arm from his grasp, not looking at him. _

"_G-goodbye Naruto-kun."_

_He only stood there, speechless. He called after her. "Hinata!"_

_She stopped, her back still turned towards him._

"_It's not over! I promise, I'll try harder. Just…we'll talk t-tomorrow okay?"_

"…"

"_Okay?!"_

_She looked back at him, and smiled a sad smile, wishing for nothing more than to be able to do just that. She gave an empty promise. "Sure, N-naruto, tomorrow w-we'll talk."_

_Then she left, her heart breaking in time with his._

* * *

_A/n: 1-white jasmine- you are cheerful and graceful, 2-hopeless not heartless,_

_kusa mocha is made from mugwort, an herb that means happiness. 4-mullein- health, good nature_

_forget-me-not, 6-_Bonds of love, Generous and devoted affection, 7-sleep, 8-dead leaves mean sadness

Ah, I also apologize for Naruto seeming like such a…hmm jerk, to put it lightly. But there's more to him, and I have not shown it yet, considering this fic seems to follow Hinata more than anyone, we'll find out who he is now gradually, and with time.

Sadly, Neji is dead in this fic, so yeah…

Please keep in mind that Hinata is very flawed too, before and after the five year period. And it will be her turn to be called out on it, later.


	17. Blame

a/n: I apologize for the false posting of this chapter! I posted it but then deleted it because I was not happy with the length or the flow. Also this is for Cobalt Sunfire who suggested putting the flower meanings next to their name. Hope this is more convenient.

I am so grateful to everyone who reviewed, followed and favorited in the last two chapters! The encouragement means so much and I hope I do not disappoint. The criticisms are valued and I try to address them all.

To Rukia (guest): The ambiguity of their relationship in flashbacks was done on purpose. They were never officially 'together' if you will, but they were trying.

To SeriousSam: Thank you so much for the encouraging message. I have no words for my gratitude.

Also, more will be shown of Naruto's life in the five years in the coming chapters.

On with the chapter:

**Blame**

"Sasuke-teme, what do you know about the Hyuuga clan?"

Sasuke smirked at his friend, impressed. "Why?"

Naruto's brows furrowed in irritation. He did not have time for games today. He needed to get to the bottom of the Hinata Hyuuga affair and in he still had his mission briefing in five hours. "You know why. You noticed the same things I did, Sasuke. So, what else do you know?"

"To be honest, not much. The Hyuuga are insanely secretive and even the Hokage doesn't have access to all their affairs. And they've been virtually inactive the past few years."

"Yeah, no shit. But what about those rumors of their political maneuvers outside of Konoha?" Naruto asked, intrigued.

"Tch. They're not just rumors, stupid. They're true. The Hyuuga have political influence in an unknown number of nations and hidden villages. They have alliances and I'm sure vast sums of money have exchanged hands at some point."

"How? I mean, Main branch Hyuuga hardly ever leave the compound and Branch don't have the status or income needed for that kind of business."

"That clan is different from the Uchiha, Naruto." Sasuke stopped, a shot of pain lancing through his chest. No matter how much time passed, the hurt of his past would remain. He grit his teeth. "They're loyal to themselves first."

"Wait, what do you mean?"

"Uchiha frowned on marriages outside of the village. They made sure the Sharingan stayed within Konoha. They were loyal in that respect, no matter what may have happened in the end."

Naruto's eyes widened, catching on to his rival's train of thought. "So that's why the Hyuuga Branch family is so large. Outside marriages."

"Tch. Imagine the prestige that comes with having your son or daughter marrying into the illustrious Hyuuga clan." Sasuke said sourly.

"Let me guess. They'd change their surname to Hyuuga. And for the clan, it's a win-win. The marriage results in the strongest possible alliance and by having them marry into the Branch family, those bastards are able to seal any kids the couple might have." Naruto growled out, angrily. They had all worked so hard to bring peace to the ninja world, and he thought, all this time, that the Hyuuga had all been genuinely invested in that effort. To find out that shit like that was still happening, it was infuriating and insulting. It was like spitting on the memories of everyone who had fought and sacrificed. _'Just how long has this been going on for, and how the hell is Hinata involved in it?'_

"Naruto."

Naruto glanced at his serious comrade, wondering why he had quieted all of the sudden. "Yeah."

Sasuke's eyes bled red, and the tomoe of his Sharingan appeared. His face devolved into an unreadable scowl, and Naruto grew worried. "If your Hyuuga girlfriend is the cause of harm to this village, I won't hesitate to do what I have to.

Naruto in turn grew angry, his fists clenching. "Just what are you accusing Hinata of, bastard?"

Sasuke calmed, his eyes darkening back to black. "Nothing yet. But she was a diplomat and traveled a lot. Who knows what she was up to in five years."

"She wouldn't support that kind of thing and Tsunade-baa-chan trusts her!" Naruto defended.

"Whatever." Sasuke turned to leave, his mood slightly lightened by Naruto's obvious affection and trust for the girl.

Naruto was about to retort, when he remembered just what exactly Sasuke had called Hinata. He grew red in embarrassment. "You jackass, y-you know it's not like that!"

Sasuke turned to smirk at the sputtering youth, and muttered low. "Not yet, at least."

He disappeared in a swirl of leaves before his friend could beat the pulp out of him.

* * *

_Hitomi Hyuuga sat amidst her precious garden, the sun shining on the myriad of flowers. But her tiniest, most beautiful flower sat near her knees, with wide lavender eyes and a soul so warm and kind, it almost hurt. She glanced down when she felt a tug on her blue kimono._

"_Hinata dear, whatever are you doing?" She asked gently, amused at the little four year old heiress, her ear currently pressed against her mother's burgeoning belly. Her dark eyebrows furrowed in the deepest concentration._

"_Shh…Mama. I'm trying to hear Nabi!" Hinata whispered quietly, with all the seriousness of an older sister to be._

_Hitomi laughed softly, threading her slender fingers gently through Hinata's short, feathery hair. What a beautiful child…and she had no doubt that this new baby would be just as precious, but even more loved due to Hinata's never ceasing vigilance._

"_My little Hibiscus, how do you know the baby will be a girl? It could be a little brother."_

_Hinata looked up, a brilliant smile on her face and her eyes shining with certainty. "Baby is 'Nabi."_

"_No matter then. Because I know you'll be the best big sister ever." Hitomi smiled back, and then winced slightly as the baby kicked. _

"_What is it Mama?" Hinata asked, concerned. Hitomi simply picked up Hinata's small hand and placed it in the spot where the movement was. Hinata's eyes widened. This was not the first time she had felt Hanabi move, but she always found it amazing. She knew that Nabi was saying hello._

_Hinata gently kissed her mother's belly, and said, "I'll take care of you Nabi."_

* * *

Hinata walked with trepidation in the direction of the Hyuuga compound, not even caring to change out of her training clothes. She straightened herself, imagining a silvery ribbon of steel winding its way around her spine, slowly strengthening and supporting her. Odd imagery, but it was how she had taught herself to hold proper posture in times of pressure. And she knew there would be a lot of that today.

Confusion and anticipation warred within her. Simply the fact that it was _Hanabi_, her estranged sister that was looking for her, made her curious and hopeful. Theirs was a complicated relationship, filled with extreme highs and lows.

_A tiny ten year old Hinata winced as she curled up her beaten, bruised body on her bed. Today had been particularly tough. She could still feel her father's hard gaze drilling into her head, her very core; his disappointment washing over her in waves as a six year old Hanabi mercilessly assailed her. _

_She shook her head, trying not to think, instead focusing on the soft sounds of the night emanating from her open window. The greys and darkened shades of the evening were somehow comforting. Her numerous covers protected her and provided her with a warm place to hide from everything._

_And she waited…and waited…until the small, creaks of the floor boards could be heard outside her door. A thin crack of light appeared then disappeared, and small shuffling footsteps sounded across her room. These were even more comforting than the sounds of the night. _

_She felt her bed shift slightly and the covers rise as a small form slipped in next to her. She felt the faint trembling of Hanabi's quiet sobbing. After a few moments, Hanabi's hesitant fingers sought her own. A silent message, 'I'm sorry.'_

_Hinata smiled, tightening her grip on her sister's fingers and reached across with her other hand to gently smooth back Hanabi's messy bangs. 'You're safe now Nabi.'_

_The pleasant aroma of the hazel herbs outside the window filled the air._ _(Reconciliation) _

Hinata slowed as she neared the gates of the Branch family section. It would be easier to deal with her return if she met friendlier faces along the way, or at least she hoped they would still be friendly. Even so, she might have to start her homecoming with an angry, little sister. She thoughtfully reached for her right eye, a determined look crossing her face. _'She won't ever know.'_

_Hanabi was dead tired. She was nearing her limit, but so was her opponent. She looked down at her petite older sister, hoping to heaven that she would not get up. But no…the trembling girl pulled herself back up, slowly and painfully resuming the Gentle Fist stance, the wooden floor boards creaking under her resolve._

_Hanabi was torn. This was the girl that had practically raised her, cared for her, and yet she could __**not **__lose to her. Or she would be done for, branded and caged like an animal. And she knew that if that were to happen, she would slowly die from the ordeal. So she let out one last silent plea, her eyes begging._

"_Sister, please, stand down."_

_Hinata's wide eyes narrowed in defiance, and in those lilac depths Hanabi saw the same desperation and fierce determination that burned through her own being. And she felt the sharp white eyes of the council; waiting like vultures to pray on the fallen._

_Hanabi broke. _

_She charged, snarling wildly with all the crazed strength of a trapped beast; raw and uncontrolled twirls and palms flailing to attack anywhere it would hurt._

_Hinata took advantage of the uncontrolled strikes, seeking the numerous openings of Hanabi's attacks, and with a last ditch effort, ducked under the taller girl's defenses to reach her arm, exposing her right temple in the process. Hanabi's flat palm made contact, thrusting a large amount of chakra into the area. The smell of burnt hair filled their senses._

_Bright lights and enormous pain flashed across Hinata's sight. But she pushed through, her Byakugan slowly fading. She had to win. For the sake of everything she held dear, she had to win. _

_And somehow, she did._

"_2…4…8…16…32…64 palms!" _

_Hanabi's arms went limp, and she fell to the floor unconscious. Hinata's knees trembled, nearly following her sister down. Her eyes closed and the pain in her head faded slightly as she heard the gruff voice of the elder say…_

"_May I present, our heiress, Hinata Hyuuga-sama."_

"Where is she?" Hanabi muttered as she paced in front of the Branch member entrance of the Hyuuga compound. The last time she had seen her sister had not been the best of conversations. The resentment of her lost title had wounded her so deeply, and the imminent branding of her forehead had sparked a deep rage. And she had lashed out.

_Hinata's short hair swung forward, as she focused on her task. She ignored Hanabi's burning rage and hurtful accusations. She simply continued to grind the _juniper_ berries into a fine paste, preparing it for an ointment to treat sciatic pain. (Succor, protection)_

_She only stopped when Hanabi uttered the worst thing she could at the moment._

"_I thought you would protect me."_

Quiet footsteps announced the return of the long-absent heiress.

Hinata smiled wistfully as she gazed at the pale wood of the gate, remembering when she would meet Neji here for training. And slowly but surely, the other branch members had begun to accept her; to welcome her. She preferred entering through the Branch family side of the compound. The unmanicured lawns and quiet chatter of the occupants contrasted with the rigid cold of the empty Main branch hallways.

They were family and the thought propelled her forward, further steeling her resolve. She undid her ponytail, allowing her layered her hair to cascade down to her hips. _'I'm ready.'_

At least she thought was.

She was completely caught unawares when a dark blur rushed towards her, a slim body slamming into her own and thin arms snaking around her neck. She looked to the side, noticing dark brown hair trailing down the person's back.

"Hanabi-chan?"

Her only answer was a small nod into her neck, the soft trickling of tears dampening her shirt.

* * *

"_W-What do you mean?" Hanabi's silver eyes widened, disbelieving._

"_You, Hanabi Hyuuga, will not be branded." The elder repeated grudgingly, angry at the break of tradition. His white eyes narrowed, enhancing the wrinkles on his brow._

"_W-why?"_

"_It was a request made by our new heiress, under certain conditions of course."_

"_What conditions?" Hanabi fidgeted as her sister used to._

"_Those are for her to know. Now leave." He turned his back to the stunned girl, returning to his various scrolls and letters across his desk._

_Hanabi trudged out of the dark office, blindly walking towards her sister's bedroom. She had been gone for two weeks now, on a mission. She looked at the lavender covers on her sister's bed, softly caressing the butterflies embroidered onto the duvet. _

_Drip, drip, drip…Hanabi looked for the source of the leak, not wanting the blankets to be ruined. It was then she noticed she was crying. She curled up onto the soft bed, falling asleep with the comforting scent of Hibiscus filling her nose._

* * *

Hinata's arms slowly rose from her sides to gently enfold the trembling girl. _'Nabi-chan…'_

The girl's muffled question startled the heiress. "W-why?"

Hinata paled. She could not answer that, not now and probably not ever. Her hand lifted unconsciously from her sister's back to her right temple. The action went unnoticed by the still crying girl. _'She cannot ever know. It's not her fault.'_

"Hanabi-chan…I missed you."

The girl's head rose from her sister's neck, startled by Hinata's confession. Her pale eyes were red-rimmed and the tears glistened. And while she was determined to figure out why Hinata had gone in the first place, all that mattered now was the she was _here. _She was here and hugging her.

A small smile began to spread its way across Hanabi's delicate face, and brightened Hinata's spirits. It had been a long time since she had seen the wonderful sight. She truly looked as luminescent as her namesake.

"Welcome back Sister."

* * *

_Naruto sat listlessly on the small, wooden chair gazing at the pressed remains of Hinata's goodbye to him. He had torn up the letter in frustration and despair, but had regained enough calm to save the blossoms. And here he sat, in a two day old orange shirt and black shorts. His hair was knotted and flat, and his eyes dull. 'Two months.'_

_A knock at the door startled him, and he growled out. "Leave me alone, Sakura."_

_The knocks turned violent, and he shot up for fear that his pink-haired teammate would break down his door. For the past month, she and Kakashi-sensei had been bothering him and somewhere deep down he may have been touched. But right now, he simply wanted to be left alone to his thoughts. The Hokage paperwork could wait a couple days._

_He wrenched open the door, prepared to chew out Sakura, only to be assailed with a barrage of blows, flat palms reaching to injure him._

"_WHAT THE HELL?!"_

_He blocked each one, barely catching sight of his attacker. Dark hair, pale eyes and for a second a spark of hope rose in his chest. 'Hinata?'_

_The hope quickly died when he saw that the hair was not short and indigo, but rather a flat brown and long. Her eyes were gray, not lavender. In addition to that, the girl looked like she was about thirteen. Her glare was intense._

_It was her sister. Her ridiculously arrogant brat of a sister._

_When he finally had the girl struggling in his angry grip, he spat out. "What do you want?"_

"_You made her leave!" She snapped accusingly, still struggling. "You made her go!"_

_Naruto lashed out, hurt at the accusation. He bit out. "Who told you that?"_

_Hanabi remained silent, fighting against his grip. He quickly let her go, repeating his question. "Who said that I made her go?"_

"_Everyone!" She glared. "Ino Yamanaka said that you hurt my sister!"_

_Naruto's eyes dulled and he sat back down in the same chair. He buried his head in his hands. And the broken tone of his reply stopped Hanabi cold. _

"_I don't know."_

_And that was when Hanabi saw the dried Butterfly weed and Volkamenia flowers, inexpertly preserved, and she knew._

* * *

Hinata laughed at the chattering eighteen year old, admiring the wide eyes no longer ringed by dark circles and her overall happy tone. Her sister had grown to be several inches taller than her, and seemed so relaxed and joyful. A large contrast from the scared and angry girl from five years ago. But still, there was an undercurrent of tension and worry.

'_But why call me back all of the sudden?'_

As if on cue, Hanabi's large grin faltered and she began. "I'm so happy you're back, but…"

"Hanabi-chan, just tell me."

Hanabi remained quiet for several moments. The guilt of asking her sister to protect her once more choking her, stopping her words in their very tracks. It was asking too much of her sister, but she was her last hope.

"What is happening with the council, Hanabi-chan?" Hinata pressed on, her eyes narrowing in concern.

"They k-keep pushing…they want to want to arrange a marriage for me. Father is delaying as much as he can, but ever since they found out about you coming back, things have been moving so fast…"

Hinata's grip on her sister tightened, and her lilac eyes darkened. She had worked too hard to keep her sister safe and to stall their idiotic political machinations. This was going too far.

"I promise Nabi-chan, that will not happen."

Hanabi's expression brightened, speechless in the fierce admiration and love of her sister. She shifted her glance, hiding the tears pooling in her eyes.

"Hinata-sama!" called a gruff voice, a light tone belying the joy of the caller. The voice came from a middle aged man, his grey eyes crinkling in happiness.

"Oh my! Hanabi-chan is with her!" said a young lady with blue eyes and long dark hair.

The sisters' attention was drawn back to their surroundings with the various gasps and calls of the Branch members. They had been so entrenched in their conversation; they had not noticed when they reached the heart of the Branch compound. Their faces brightened and they waved back, exchanging fond greetings and well wishes with the occupants.

"Hinata-sama, welcome back!"

"Hinata-san, we missed you!"

"Good morning Hanabi-chan and Hinata-sama!"

Despite Hanabi's troubling news, Hinata's entire being hummed with pleasure, glad to be back home, if only temporarily. The added honorific jarred her slightly; she was still unused to her title. Hanabi smiled slightly at the startled reactions, her grip tightening on her sister's arm.

They made their way through the gates and through the various buildings making up the Branch housing. Hinata waved at the occupants, many of the adults came to shake her hand and some came to hug the sisters.

Among the throng of cheery family members, she and Hanabi caught sight of a particularly familiar face.

"Natsuki!"

"Natsuki-san!"

Natsuki Hyuuga turned towards the two calling her, pale hands flying up to her protruding belly. She smiled brightly. She rushed across the lawn, her long black hair trailed behind her and brown eyes crinkled in glee.

"Hanabi-chan, Hinata-ch…sama!"

She spread her arms wide to engulf the two in a bear hug as close as her pregnant belly would allow. Hinata grinned, aware of Natsuki's attempted formality. They let go of each other, Hinata marveling at Natsuki's largeness.

"Congratulations Natsuki-san!" She exclaimed. Her head tilted in glee. "Daisuke-san must be very glad."

Hanabi gently patted the bump, searching for movement. Her cousin was already used to her doing so. Natsuki laughed at the two, nodding her thanks.

"He's going to be the first Hyuuga child born in almost a decade."

Then Natsuki's face crumpled slightly. "But…"

Hinata's eyes widened in realization; this new baby boy would be branded. The first Hyuuga child in a decade would be branded and caged. Her sister was being pushed into an arranged marriage. Everything was happening so fast, would she be able to handle it?

She could. She would.

Hanabi stopped rubbing Natsuki's belly and looked up at her sister, searching.

And again she found what she was looking for in Hinata's increasingly determined gaze. Everything would be alright. And Hanabi decided she would use everything she had to help her sister protect their family.

* * *

Naruto remained on Training Ground 4, ruminating on heavily on the conversation he had with Sasuke. His drenched shirt was slowly drying due to the shining sun, and the calm waves of the lake created a serene enough atmosphere, which he was loathe to leave. His blonde spikes waved slightly in the wind, and he jolted when he remembered something.

"Hanabi was looking for Hinata!"

He smiled. He would have to pay that brat a visit later. He had a lot of questions.

* * *

"_Where did she go Baa-chan?!" He shouted once more, his fist slamming onto the file cabinet, the bang temporarily drowned out the heavy rain outside the Hokage office._

_Tsunade stared pityingly at the boy, yet her mouth remained firmly shut. He could break as many cabinets and desks as he wanted to. She would not divulge any information._

"_She's on a mission, Naruto. Calm down."_

"_CALM DOWN!? She's gone, Tsunade! SHE LEFT ME!"_

_His eyes became downcast, and his entire tall frame sagged underneath the weight of her half a year absence. He thought she would have come back by now and he had no way to find her. No way to ask why or to ask what he did wrong. Who could he blame? Or above all, to make sure she was okay._

_That was what killed him the most; the worry. He just wanted to know if she was okay._

"_I'm sorry, Naruto. It's cla-"_

"_Classified. Yeah, I know." He tucked his hands into his orange jacket, his head still down. He walked out of the office, not even glancing back at the Hokage. The door slammed shut. Tsunade gazed worriedly after him, hoping to kami that he would pull himself together before his match against the Uchiha._

'_I hope you know what you're doing, Hinata Hyuuga.'_

_She looked at the closed door, knowing that by now Naruto would be outside in the rain. And despite her earlier statement, he would be at the Konoha gates, waiting for someone who would never show up._

a/n:I'm sorry if this seems rushed. More complications. Last scene inspired by Say Something by a Great Big World and Christina Aguilera


	18. Chiaroscuro

a/n: I've had lots of questions as to what happened with SasuSaku. This chapter reveals some insight into what happened, but more will be explored. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed or Favorited last chapter.

**Chiaroscuro **

The Uchiha languidly made his way through the market. Having left Naruto back at the training ground, he hoped to at least get some necessary groceries on his way back to the compound. (He was carefully scrutinizing the assortment of gorgeous, shiny tomatoes in Toriyama-san's produce stands.) The jostling by the regular Saturday crowd raised his ire. But Sasuke was a patient man, and he would weather the nudges and bumps to find the perfect produce. After all, there was a very important distinction between cherry tomatoes and grape tomatoes, despite the similarities in size. Besides the weather was nice, and the people in the crowd were mostly over the age of thirty, thereby keeping him safe from unwanted fangirl advances.

He rolled up his dark sleeves and picked up a green basket, carefully handling and examining each specimen of fruit. (He hated it when people called tomatoes a vegetable.) To be sure, it was strange to see the stoic Uchiha doing something so mundane, but it was not uncommon. He settled into a calm rhythm, maintaining an impassive gaze, hoping to intimidate anyone who wished to approach him. It was not until he caught sight of a shock of cotton candy pink hair (such an oddly bright color), that he stopped. He had been in the process of purchasing his goods, when she turned and waved, a small smile gracing her pale face, emerald eyes guarded.

Inwardly, he winced. Things had never been the same between them. The casual camaraderie of their genin days had all but disappeared; lost in the turmoil of painful maturation. He noted that she held one particular bag gingerly, the aroma of the miso ramen overpowering the fruity scents of the market. She was going to visit Naruto.

And seeing the stiff movements of her walk, the way she seemed to put up invisible walls around herself, he felt guilt. He let out a quiet breath, his equivalent of a sigh. He made his way over to her, and she looked down at the bag in her hand almost apologetically, which was very off. Sakura never apologized. She might make tender gestures and soften her remarks to show if she was sorry. But the one thing she could never do was apologize. Before he could grunt out his customary greeting, she asked.

"Does he love her?"

Sasuke was not surprised. Sakura had always been extraordinarily perceptive, even more so when it came to emotions. He ran a hand through his thick, raven hair, frustrated.

"I don't know yet."

She clutched the bag tighter to her, almost as if it was a shield against the emotional onslaught that always accompanied her interactions with Sasuke.

"Is he happy?"

Sasuke tilted his head at the unexpected question.

"They've hurt each other too much right now to be happy."

For a heart breaking second, her walls broke and she could not tell if he was still talking about Naruto and Hinata. Then she nodded in understanding, biting her lip. "I'm going to have to let him go, huh?"

Before he could respond, she was gone in a whirl of cherry blossoms. The light blush of the petals standing out against the dark of his hair. He briefly grasped a fragile petal, then let it go to the slight breeze. He did not even look back at it as he continued to make his way through the vivid market.

* * *

_Sasuke stared impassively at the plastic bags, watching as the condensed steam rolled down in droplets off the wrinkled surfaces. He cringed slightly as he saw the rumpled Ichiraku Ramen logo emblazoned in orange, of all colors. (It seemed they had wanted to honor their most famous and favorite customer.)_

_He nodded towards the pink haired girl, noting the strained smile trembling on her pale face, her green eyes dull. She quietly set down the bags on the raised wooden hallway of the Uchiha courtyard. The eerie silence of the compound clutched and grasped at her normally bright spirits, the darkness suffocating. She shivered slightly. (Rumors said this place was haunted.) And she could wholeheartedly believe that was true, especially with the sharp, bare branches of the trees enfolding the training posts. _

_But most fitting of all was the gaunt youth standing bare-chested in the center, despite the chilly winter air. His hands were blistered pink and red, the colors bleeding through the bandages wrapped haphazardly around his palms. The same color was smeared on the battered wooden posts. _

'_Red like the Sharingan,' she thought absently._

_And somewhere, at the back of her mind was the medic-nin persona, clinically examining the extent of his injuries and wanting to reach for his bloodied hands; to heal. But the larger part of her, the part that loved and hated him in equal measure, wanted to run away. _

_An annoyingly loud and rough voice prattled in her head. (which may or may not have been her old inner Sakura) This part wanted to punch the beautiful smirk right off his gorgeous face while also declaring her desire to love him unendingly._

_Not for the first time this year did Sakura wish for the brightening, clarifying presence of their blonde, boisterous, charmingly dense teammate. (He was the last remaining common denominator that these two had…their mutual best friend.)_

_Sasuke wound and rewound the stained bandages, stretching them in his agitation. He did not look at the bright cheerful cherry blossom; a beauty so out of place in this haunted, dark place. He refused to look, because he knew that if he did, his entire being would revolt at the presence of this lonely flower in this place. He could not allow her to be tainted by the bloodied ghosts residing here with him. He could not give her what she wanted._

_Sakura fidgeted with a strand of her hair, twirling and untwirling. The atmosphere was heavy and both of them could feel the tension, stretching to its max. Then…_

_The bandages ripped._

_And Sakura reached tentatively for the man, hoping that somewhere underneath the cold, broken façade would be the same boy she had fallen in love with. The same cold, honest, secretly-caring boy that had thanked her, once upon a time. _

_Sasuke stopped her with a pity-filled stare, the feelings clear and the pain all the worse than a punch from Tsunade-sensei. His emotionless reply was all it took for her to understand that they could never be._

"_You deserve better."_

_He returned back to his stained training posts, rewinding the bloody bandages and resuming his kata. Sakura was left to stare at the ripped red-stained bandages lying on the frost bitten grass. And she turned to leave, crying brokenly as their broken string of fate lay discarded between them._

* * *

Shino cringed under cover of his dark glasses and the little downturn of his mouth went unnoticed. There was far too much blond in the Hokage's office…far too much. And the insect user felt all the more out of place, a spot of dark in the midst of sunlight. Between Ino, Naruto, and Tsunade-sama, their loud and inordinately boisterous personalities made the room feel unusually small, despite the wide open windows.

"Baa-chan! Why can't we go today?!" Naruto waved his hands, exaggerating his urgency.

"Naruto, just pipe down and let her talk." Ino growled out. She was still kind of wary of the guy, considering that he had been involved with two of her close friends, and they both had ended up somewhat worse from the ordeal. But still…Hinata had made it abundantly clear that she blamed Naruto for nothing…and Sakura had known what she was signing up for. She slouched, resigning herself to giving the clueless guy a chance, if only for the sake of Hina-chan and the mission.

"Because, your fourth teammate is dealing with some other business for today. And the mission is not urgent." Tsunade bit out, her patience wearing thin, already worried by Hinata's unexpected return to the Hyuuga compound. She placed her palms flat on the desk to calm herself, then quickly shuffled out the manila folder containing the mission information. Shino's glasses glinted as he readied himself to absorb all necessary information.

"Alright, you three. This is a contingent B-rank mission requested by the Head Ninja of Kusagakure."

Naruto shifted, blue eyes sharpening. "Why contingent?"

It was Shino that answered, in a less know-it-all tone than usual. (Hinata had spoken with them the other day, and had made it perfectly clear that Naruto had no blame.) "Why you ask? Because there is an unknown variable in the situation."

Naruto glanced at the Aburame, surprised by the more cordial tone. After Hinata's departure, the remaining members of Team 8 had not been as…welcoming as they once were. (He could still feel Kiba's punch to the gut and the itchy heebie jeebies from Shino's attack.) The unfairness of it still rankled, but he was deeply glad to have the camaraderie return.

"Correct, Shino. It will depend on how certain affairs turn out or become settled. The request is for a security detail for the builders of a bridge." Tsunade smiled knowingly at her successor.

Naruto for his part was filled with a nostalgia, the situation oddly reminiscent of his first ever "C-rank" to the Land of Waves. He gathered that the importance of this new bridge would be similar in the play of economics for Kusagakure, and wondered why a security detail would be needed. Was there another Fat Cat like Gato? Another missing nin like Zabuza and Haku? Maybe they could change the name of this one to something like the Uzumaki Naruto bridge…or something…just a thought. He tensed in excitement, ready to leave the village for the first time in months.

Tsunade gazed balefully at Naruto. He cringed. It was almost as if she could read his mind.

She laced her fingers together, continuing the briefing, "There are factions that do not want the bridge to be rebuilt. They practice isolationist politics and believe that the best policy for their village is to minimize interactions with outsiders."

Ino frowned, flicking her ponytail over her shoulder. "Rebuild?"

"Ah yes. Kannabi Bridge was destroyed by us during the Third Shinobi Word War. Iwa had invaded Kusagakure and it was an essential path for their trade route. We took it down to defeat them."

"So why take all this time to rebuild it?" Naruto asked, intrigued. The isolationist policy was something he had come across in his studies, and he wondered if that was why Kusagakure was so mysterious and secretive.

Tsunade smiled in approval. He was shaping up nicely. "After the war, Kusagakure decided to focus on diplomacy and secrecy to keep themselves safe. They would not meddle in outside affairs and no one would bother them in turn. At least, that's what they hoped for, until they made the mistake of forming an alliance with Otogakure and that bastard Orochimaru…"

She threw the file to the unpredictable ninja, glancing at his astonishingly demure attire of a dark long sleeve and flak jacket. He quickly caught the file, thumbing through it while Ino tried to see past his broad shoulder. Shino simply waited.

"Who was the ambassador that did the initial negotiations with Kusa?" Naruto asked, perusing the details of previous dealings with the village. It looked like they had some dicey situations; anything had been possible during the initial talks; from complete isolation of the village to a civil war. It seemed this member of the Diplomacy Corps had exceptional skills; enough that an accord was reached within three days. Naruto read the details out loud, pointing out the intricacies of the matter and how they had been magnificently dealt with.

Shino saw Tsunade's furrowed brow and looked from her to Naruto. He caught on before his two teammates did. "Hinata."

Naruto flinched slightly at the mention of her name, still unused to it. Ino's eyes widened in surprise, and a slight look of pride crossed her face, the same as Shino's.

"I knew Hina-chan was an awesome ambassador!" She said excitedly, clapping her hands. "She's the fourth member, right Tsunade-sama?"

Tsunade nodded the affirmative, hoping to kami that this would not affect Naruto's performance on the mission. "Even though she did a great job in securing the initial talks, she left some information out. Unfortunately, Hinata does not excel in intel gathering, and so the second purpose of her mission was not fulfilled as we would have liked."

"So…the purpose of this mission is to gather intel on Kusa?" Ino cleared up.

"It would seem in part. However, why send Naruto on this mission if that is the case?" Shino stated.

Tsunade sighed. This was where things became a bit hairy. Naruto looked curious. "Number one, it's a great on the job experience for the future Hokage. To personally foster relationships with potential allies is something he'll have to do anyway, might as well get started."

They all nodded in understanding.

"Also, he's our trump card of sorts. Regardless of what they may think of us in general, they hold great respect for the hero of the world, and know that having him as an ally is a huge-ass perk. And third, he's a good luck charm."

Ino rolled her eyes and Shino smiled slightly as the Uzumaki grinned, giving a good Guy pose.

"Don't let it get to your head, gaki." Tsunade admonished affectionately. "However, there may be some who do not receive us well in light of our past history. The Yellow Flash and Team Kakashi were instrumental in the destruction of that bridge."

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean Dad did that?"

The Hokage's eyes softened. "It was necessary, Naruto. Not every mission is clear cut good or bad, you know that."

"Y-yeah, I get that. It's just…"He trailed off, frozen.

Ino leaned forward; slightly worried that he had gone so quiet. "Naruto?"

He began laughing, loud and unceasing. He pumped a fist in the air, leaping. "This is awesome! I get to work in the same place that my Dad did!"

His grin was infectious, and despite Ino's still present wariness and Shino's worry for Hinata, the two could not help but smile along with him. Ino quickly hid her mirth, slapping the excited youth on his arm lightly.

"Calm down, idiot."

Shino then surprisingly vouched for Naruto by recommending that he lead them this time. The Hokage-to-be glanced at his two comrades, touched by the statement and relishing in the long absent warmth of their friendship. He wondered if Hinata had anything to do with it.

Tsunade finalized the briefing. "Ino, you'll be using your skills to gather intel, as well as providing medical care for this mission. Shino, you're to help Ino due to your insects being a very discrete way of finding things out. Keep an eye open for anything odd. "

Here she gave a stern look towards the youth. "And Naruto, you...tone things down a bit and follow Hinata's lead in the diplomacy stuff. She's good at what she does. Do not let personal affairs get in the way of that, understood."

Naruto nodded, wondering if he would be able to handle three days of travel time in close quarters with a girl he held very confusing feelings for. And not to mention that the two other teammates had strong protective instincts for the girl. He was going to be treading a very fine line these next couple of days.

"Your contact will rendezvous with you at the site of Kannabi Bridge construction, on Konoha's side of the border. You leave tomorrow at 7 am."

"Tsunade-sama, I thought the talks were over. So why is Hina-chan coming too?" Ino chimed in a final question.

Tsunade indicated with a lazy gesture towards the original request filled out by Kusa. And there at the bottom written in a hurried scrawl was…

"_Special request for Ambassador Hinata Hyuuga to report as well. And Sasuke Uchiha, if possible."_

"_Reason for addendum: She's the only one we really trust and he's hot."_

Naruto and Ino gawped at such blatant honesty written on the page. Was this even professional? Especially dubious was the statement about Sasuke. And what exactly had Hinata done to merit such a high recommendation? Shino merely smiled knowingly, and though he may have been a dark spot in the midst of sunshine, he had the most clarity.

"You know, I have a funny feeling it was our contact that wrote this request." Naruto deadpanned. They all silently agreed.

* * *

_Hisao Hyuuga was a gambling man. It was his secret pleasure and it would have been highly improper for a Hyuuga to be found guilty of such a vice. He rubbed hisweathered hands in ill-disguised glee, white eyes bright in anticipation. His long, silvery hair cascaded gently, deceptively over his hard gaze and the white of it all almost made up for the shadows of the cherry lacquered room. _

_He was a gambling man, but he wasn't stupidly reckless._

_So that was why, when the pathetic discarded former heiress had arrived at his office, the dark shadows of the room nearly engulfing her ridiculously tiny form, he was intrigued. (She had not inherited the Hyuuga stature…nor the Hyuuga anything really.) Ridiculous really, with the tufts of dried grass clinging to her oversized, gray robes. (Submission, Utility)_

_He could see the trembling proposition balancing precariously on the tip of her tongue, the hidden mischief sputtering to death in the depths of her erratic gaze. Hinata Hyuuga was playing a dangerous game and before, she would never have even ventured to do so. Before becoming close to the Uzumaki brat, before she had developed a backbone, she would have run. And it was the gambling man inside of him that made Hisao want to place all his bets against this little player; the girl with no poker face._

"_So, let me understand, Hinata Hyuuga. You want me to prevent the branding of your sister, should you of course __**reclaim**__ your title." He said smoothly, his creaky voice rolling over like a slick oil, suffocating her and choking her. _

_She nodded demurely, hoping and praying that her stakes were good enough for the gamble._

"_And if you don't win?"_

"_I'll do anything you ask. Brand me, cast me from the clan, marry me off. It doesn't matter." She said, eyes dull and not stuttering in the least. She accepted the consequences wholeheartedly, if only because if she won, it could save everyone. _

_Hisao rolled around her terms in his head, the sweet taste of her imminent defeat lingering on his silvered tongue. "And what do I have to gain from this little bet? What makes you think I would freely break our sacred traditions to favor you?"_

_Hinata's eyes widened in understanding. "You fear change."_

_Hisao lost composure, the lopsided sneer marring the beauty of his white Hyuuga eyes. "It is a tradition that protects our Byakugan, the precious thing that makes even __**you **__special."_

_Hinata's entire frame trembled, fisting her hands in her gray robes._

_Hisao stalled, surprised at the near dead state of the once stuttering heiress. From the looks of it, she was close to being permanently broken. He inwardly grinned. Without her Jinchuriki, she was weak. He repeated his question. "What do I stand to gain from this little bet?"_

"_I w-will participate in our clan's outside affairs." She finally stuttered out, the thought of undermining her beloved Konoha disgusting her._

"_How do you propose to do that Hinata Hyuuga?" Hisao said, enticed. Regardless, if she won or lost, he would benefit. She reeked of desperation and defeat already. _

_She gazed at him with her non-Hyuuga eyes, lavender tinged and utterly open to the world. She was an unseemly blotch on the Hyuuga's dark and white beauty, with her blue hair and purple eyes. _

"_I will join Konoha's Diplomacy Corps, elder." She swiftly contorted herself into a low bow, hoping that for Hanabi and maybe (hopefully) Naruto's sake, this old codger would accept the deal. And for once, she was glad that she was shy and stuttered, because then this opponent would underestimate her._

_Hisao smiled at the prone form of the girl, this would turn out nicely. He patted himself on the back, a safe bet. Even if she won, he would have a new set of eyes in the outside political affairs and a puppet heiress, too weak to stand for her own ideas. If she lost, Hanabi had already been raised in the proper mindset, and imagine the alliance that could be made with marriage to the clan head's eldest. Even if Uzumaki became Hokage, so long as he had no inside connections to the clan, he could not hope to change anything. _

"_Very well then Hinata Hyuuga." Hinata looked up at the sneering elder and shuddered at his expression. The white of the Byakugan shining like death in his wizened and contorted face. "I accept."_

_And though she felt part of her burden leave her, she stepped out of his office, the shadows still clinging to her once bright form. The blue of her hair buried in the blacks of the hallway. Hisao was left with his fingers steepled in anticipation. _

"_Game, set, match."  
_

* * *

Hinata was merely a derivative of the famous Hyuuga beauty. Where their hair was a rich, black or brown, hers was an improbable shade of indigo. Where their eyes were silver or white like a full moon, hers were lilac. Her face was heart shaped instead of a perfect oval. She was petite, not tall like the rest. It had been pointed out again and again while she was growing up.

She looked just like her mother, an outsider.

But to be honest, she was glad. She had always thought her mother to be a very beautiful woman, and her family on Crescent Island agreed. She had not visited them in a long while; not since Naruto's training with Jiraiya-san. Hanabi had taken a trip somewhere else with their father and Hinata had gone, escorted by Neji to the island. It had been one of her fondest memories to say the least. The warmth of family, the love, was something that had been lacking within the Hyuuga compound. Despite the warm acceptance of the Branch, they were still somewhat distant and afraid, because they feared that at any second Hinata or Hanabi could form a single seal and end their lives.

Her fists clenched, hidden in the delicate folds of her cream colored robes. Hanabi and Natsuki had insisted that she wear them prior to attending the hastily assembled council meeting. (The news of her return had spread quickly to the main house.) She had yet to see her father or any of her fellow clansmen from the Main. Hanabi had retrieved the robes from her long empty room and she had changed in Natsuki's quarters.

When all was said and done, Hinata looked like the heiress she was; the faint scar on her right temple hidden behind her pinned up hair. And it was this upright standing, regal woman that came in through the sliding doors, a nod towards all assembled. She caught sight of her father's astonished gaze, feelings of affection, pride, and regret warring within. But as much as Hinata would like to have had a normal, warm welcome (an embrace, a hair ruffling, a welcome home, anything…), she knew it was not the Hyuuga way. The Hyuuga way was subtle and cold. It was impassive glances and veiled messages under unfailingly polite words. She had never particularly excelled at hiding her emotions, and she had never had the confidence to wear the infamous Hyuuga glare, but today…today was different.

The first night Hinata Hyuuga had worn the cream robes of the heir; they had engulfed her, almost drowning her bowed frame. But today was different, and all the council saw that the robes were no longer too big. She had not visibly grown in stature, but her presence filled the robes like never before, and it was this girl, this heiress, that made them mutter in confusion.

Hinata kneeled and bowed low, deferring to her clan leader and the council, begging their indulgence. She neatly folded her slim hands onto her lap, taking her dutiful place to the right of her father. (She sadly noted only the presence of two gray robed figures, how unjust.) Her tiny mouth settled into a firm line, determined. And only one thought crossed her mind as she surveyed the lightly robed council.

'_Let the games begin.'_

* * *

"Five years absent. What have you to say for yourself, heiress." Spat out an incensed and slightly envious Nori Hyuuga. (Why was such a weak girl the heir?) He gestured widely with a flat palm, as if itching to slap the politely distant expression from her face.

Hinata absently remembered that he was Hisao's favorite. He was the youngest member of the council at age twenty-five. She answered formally and simply. "I was on a mission for Konoha, as is my duty."

A buzzing rang through the council. This was not the shy, timid little thing from five years prior. This was not the girl who had won back her birthright by the skin of her teeth. A small number of members gaze at the girl in grudging admiration. The rest were either too confused or angry at her calm response.

Hiashi looked at his daughter, a sense of pride washing through.

"What was this mission of yours? Was it so important that you abandoned your clan for five years?"

"I was recruited to the Diplomacy Corps."Hinata replied calmly. Hiashi was surprised by her careful word choice. By using the passive tense of the statement, she put responsibility of her absence on someone else, partly. And the vagueness of who recruited her incriminated no one. She was truly skilled.

Nori, for all his Hyuuga pride was a spitfire, and continued the attack. "Who gave you permission?"

"I was not aware that Hyuuga were prohibited from taking up positions outside of the clan. Is there a clan law that says so?" She inclined her head, knowing for sure that there was no such thing.

Nori sputtered, losing the fight. He gave in one last parting shot. "You love your precious Konoha so much. You are a disgrace to this clan."

The gasps continued and many members were affronted. Such blatant disrespect for an heir was dangerous and unseemly. Regardless of her long absence, there was nothing she had done that was explicitly against clan rules. She could not be punished.

"Yes, I do. Please let us move on to the next order of business." Hinata gazed at her father, asking permission to continue. He nodded, hiding a grin at her handling of the situation. Hisao saw the exchange and grew worried; maybe his bet would backfire after all. If all reports indicated correctly, Hinata had not fulfilled her duty in the Hyuuga affairs. Rather, it seemed they had been stalled in the past few years. Now was not the time however to make her pay, rather he would wait.

But for now, he would hit her where it hurt the most. He grinned and stated silkily, "Let us discuss your previous petition to…end the branding practice."

Hinata inhaled sharply. Now they had reached the crux of things; she had to be strong. For her family, for Hanabi , for Natsuki's child, and for Neji. She imagined the silvery ribbon tightening further around her spine. This was where it mattered.

"Then let us begin the vote." She replied, challenging his smugness. The council stirred uncomfortably. Many had been present for Neji's fight against the Uzumaki. They had been present when there dirty secret had been revealed and when their reputation had received the largest smear in history. Still, they were torn. Was it honestly the best path to completely eradicate centuries of history? To undo something that had been with them even before Konoha had been dreamt of?

"You and I both know that is not how this works."Hisao sneered. "Only the _official _clan heir may dare to even suggest a thing."

A surprised hum rang through the crowd of thirty or so. Some members dissented at the statement. They had all seen Hinata fight fair and square for the title. What was Hisao talking about?

"Until Hanabi Hyuuga is sealed once and for all, you are not yet fully the heiress." The elder smiled, deceptively sweet and saccharine. He saw Hinata 's calm façade falter slightly. She would not dare to reveal their little bet. _'Thought you wouldn't keep your bargain, I won't keep mine, little Hinata.'_

"Besides, you simply do not have the support accrued within the council for the initial vote." Hummed the female elder with the tight bun. Her white eyes burned into Hinata's own, relishing in the now apparent hesitation of the girl's movements. And despite the abundance of silver and cream, Hinata felt the room grow dark. She grew desperate.

"I will go public." She threatened breathlessly. And whether she meant with the turmoil within the clan or with their other more shady affairs, they did not know. All they knew was that if their reputation was further sullied, they could lose a lot. Too much.

"You would involve outsiders?" growled another Hyuuga, silver eyes glinting and brown hair streaked with gray.

"Hinata-san please reconsider."Cried a kinder member.

"How dare you! Sully our name by tying us with commoners!?" shouted Nori Hyuuga.

"They have a right to know. Like I stated earlier, our duty is first and foremost to our village. We all answer to our Hokage. And if I cannot help this clan from within, then I will do it from without."Hinata replied firmly, regaining her gravitas.

"The Hokage has no power in clan business, Hinata-_chan."_ Spat out Nori, his poisonous tone emphasizing the honorific. He had in essence, termed her a child.

The members were torn, fearing for the radical change the heiress sought and astonished at the heated debate. Nori added insult to injury with his last statement.

"Look what happened to our most talented prodigy. His life wasted serving your precious Konoha."

...

The slap had wrung through the room. The assailant had moved so fast, no one noticed until it was too late. For there, hand outstretched in front of a stunned Nori stood an angry Hiashi. Hinata was halfway up from her cushion, fighting the activation of her Byakugan. She was astonished, her mouth gaping open, just as the other council members. For Hiashi, her father, calm cool-as-a-cucumber Hiashi to lose his composure was truly something. She was slightly annoyed. He had beaten her to the punch.

Hiashi glared at the impertinent youth and resumed his seat regally, nodding towards the assembly. "Proceed."

Hinata calmed, the insult to Neji-nii-san's sacrifice still rankled. But if she were to make any progress, she could not afford to lose her head. "How disgraceful. You demean Neji's sacrifice in such a manner and hope to retain any ounce of respect."

And despite her gentle voice, the steel undercurrent of her tone had Nori bowing his head. The combination of being chided by a little chit of a girl three years his junior and having been so blatantly slapped by the clan head taking their toll. And the assembly murmured, for the first time feeling as if the loss of Hinata Hyuuga's esteem was truly something grave.

Hisao was at an impasse. Should he continue to blatantly continue to attack the heiress, he would lose supporters in the council. However, to let her continue was dangerous and Hisao was not a reckless man. He decided to again attack where she was weakest. "So, in summary, your petition cannot be considered until Hanabi Hyuuga has been branded. We will continue this conversation until after her wedding."

The dastardly old fool. Had Hinata been Naruto, Sakura, hell, or even Ino, she would have punched the man into oblivion by now. But she was none of them, and she had always dealt with challenges quietly. No one could help her at this point, not even her father. She had one last ace up her sleeve. "

"Ah yes. If I am correct, you were to marry her off to the Daimyo's youngest son."

The council buzzed. How had she found out so soon? Hinata smiled demurely, silently thanking her father for removing the privacy jutsu so Hanabi could hear.

Another neutral elder chimed in. "It would be a great alliance for the clan."

"Yes. But I believe Hanabi is on active duty, and as such whatever happens to her is also under the Hokage's jurisdiction."

Hisao tensed. This was why arranged marriages were typically done with the non-active Branch members. He had miscalculated. No matter, there were larger fish to fry. He waved his hand, brushing away the subject. "Very well then, Hinata-san. Hanabi's marriage talks will be postponed."

Hinata stilled, suspicious. "And the petition?"

He grinned. Something was wrong, very wrong.

"We will consider it, in the near future. However, I do have one question. What do you plan to do with those already sealed? There is no counterseal after all. It is permanent."

"W-what?"Hinata whispered. Joined by the uproar of the council. Despite their status as main branch, many had always believed in the existence of the counter seal. There was simply never a need to utilize it.

"You're lying!"Cried one of the two Branch members, distraught. He clenched his fists, silver eyes flashing.

Hisao turned, hiding his glee. "I am not. The scrolls showing how to remove the seal have been lost for decades now, burned at some point during the first Shinobi war."

Hinata turned towards Hiashi, hoping he could refute this fact. "F-father?"

And though the plea was not in the voice of a child, nor was his daughter still a little girl, something in the tone resonated in him. It brought back memories of a tiny hand tugging at his sleeve, silently asking for support and assurance. Something he had not given then and something he could not give now, no matter how much he wished. His heart broke at the hopeful expression on her face, and unable to look at it, he turned his head, signaling to all the horrible truth.

There was no escape from the bird cage but in death.

Hinata looked down, her small mouth open in an almost comical oh. And once again, the robes looked a little too big for this petite woman. Her shoulders slumped ever so slightly and her eyes lost the impassive gaze. Yet she maintained all the regalness with which she had entered the room.

Seeing Hinata unwilling to continue, Satoshi Hyuuga, the kind Branch member called for an end to the assembly. Many of the council were just as shocked at the revelation and agreed that it was for the best. But even as the shadows of the room lengthened and loomed, Hinata Hyuuga stayed where she was, the dark never extinguishing the brightness of who she was.

* * *

Naruto padded quietly through the vacant hallways of the Hyuuga main compound. The brightness of his hair and eyes clashing with the standard jounin outfit he wore. When Tsunade-baa-chan had asked for someone to inform Hinata about the mission and the departure time for tomorrow, he had jumped at the chance. Not because he wanted to see her again, he told himself over and over. Rather, he thought it would be a great chance to interrogate Hanabi about what was going on. The brat may not have been heir, but she had some information and that was how he had been keeping some sort of track on the Hyuuga clan. Though admittedly, with Hokage-to-be duties, his little espionage had suffered in the past two years.

So, yeah, he had not come here to see Hinata. It was just to conduct research. (He cringed when he realized that was what Pervy Sage used to say for his more dubious activities.)

Admittedly, he was lost and was now rounding random corners, hoping to run into someone who could guide him. He was therefore surprised when a sharp right turn lead him straight into the heart of a vibrant garden, a variety of flowers blooming probably because of the recent rain. What caught his attention were the Hibiscus blooms in all shades, ringing a very large pond with a red half-moon bridge. The sun was bright, like it should have been and the koi were play- OHMYGODTHEREWAS A DEAD BODY IN THE WATER!

He lifted his hand, clutching his chest in shock. He barely managed to stifle his scream, and even then, a muffled and undignified squeak escaped. The Hyuuga were scary enough without having to resort to leaving corpses in their ponds.

When Naruto regained some calm, he saw that the person was lightly breathing. The slim shoulders moved up and down, rippling the still waters and the koi swam in and around the small form, unafraid. For a moment, he only thought of the unsanitary conditions the water must be in, then he remembered this was the Hyuuga clan, and nothing here was ever unsanitary.

In fact, the water was crystal clear and he could see straight to the bottom of the pond, jade green plants lying under, and dappled by the streaming sunshine. What stood out the most was the white of the person's robes flowing and mingling with the dark, indigo tendrils. _"Wait, indigo?"_

He knew only one person with that hair color, and she was indeed sleeping in pond water at this very moment. He whispered hesitantly.

"H-Hinata?"

No response. Naruto admired her ability to sleep in such a very, very, very odd place, once again wondering who exactly this girl was. He stepped forward, mesmerized by the play of the sun on her pale face, and stepped on a twig. He cringed. She would wake up now for sure.

And sure enough, Hinata's lavender eyes snapped open, blearily gazing at her intruder. She sat up, still using her chakra to maintain her floatation. "Naruto-san?"

His followed the water droplets down her smooth cheeks, past her long neck, and down…down…

He absently noted that white was very see-through when wet. Hinata noticed his gaze, and instantly reddened, squeaking and crossing her arms to hide her immodesty. She had not expected to be found here. Most everyone left this place alone, knowing it was her mother's old haunt.

Naruto sputtered an apology, glancing to his left to give the girl some privacy. Yet a warm feeling curled in his chest. Her reaction had been just the same as it used to be, if less over the top. But she was still _herself _in some way.

"How may I help you, Naruto-san?"

And then she smiled, brightly. Even if her hair was the color of midnight and her eyes were closed in bliss, she was luminescent. The shadows of the trees and shrubs disappeared, the sun illuminating and warming a sunny place.

Naruto blanked out, even when she reiterated her offer to help. What had he come for again?

He could not say.

* * *

A/n: Running theme for this chapter, contrast of light and dark. Chiaroscuro is a reference to an art style that takes advantage of contrast to create deeper, more vivid images. I thought it fit.

**I really want to take the time to recommend some of my favorite Naruhina authors at the moment. It's absolutely amazing the amount of talent and dedication there is on the site and I am super excited to recommend them. I will continue to recommend fics in following chapters, hopefully to expose all my wonderful readers to other great pieces. (I'm partly jumping on the bandwagon here, seeing as two of the mentioned authors below also do the same. I find it wonderful.)**

**First up is Serious Sam's amazing "My Precious People." The amount of detail and plot are astounding and it is quite a page turner. NaruHina is the main pairing. I will warn you though, there are some darker aspects to the story, but it makes the story very interesting. It's touching and action packed, so check it out. (in progress)**

**Second, but not at all least, is thepoint, author of Hinata pairings galore, their oneshot Heart Shaped Sticky Notes is incredibly touching, heartfelt and just all around awesome. If you're also interested in a role reversal of the standard harem fic, I highly recommend The Hand of Lady Hyuga, wherein the characters are placed in a world where women dominate and men must wait to be courted. The way thepoint describes Hinata in the most awesomesauce of ways! If you're a Hinata fan, then you'll definitely like her portrayal in these fanfics.**

**Third, is Ayrmed's fanfic, Love's Never Easy. It explores a developing relationship between Naruto and Hinata and is still in progress. The plot is solid and there are cliff hangers, but it's also sweet and the characters are very in character. Ayrmed also recieves a big thank you because she has been reviewing from the beginning of Reluctant Return.**

**Next up: Mission to Kusagakure; points if you can guess who the contact is.**


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